


Country Retreat

by dare2dream



Series: Country Retreat [1]
Category: Benedict Cumberbatch - Fandom, British Actor RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-19
Updated: 2013-08-11
Packaged: 2017-12-12 07:49:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 59,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/809105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dare2dream/pseuds/dare2dream
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A bit of a short one I'm afraid but it seemed a good pause point, and I'm off to work a 13 hour shift tomorrow so might not get an update for a few days.</p></blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Catherine thanked the last of her customers and flipped the closed sign on the door locking it after her, she grabbed the lead from her pocket and walked the short distance to her cottage pulling the gate open hearing her dog barking his hello. She barely got the door open as he pushed through it into the front garden bouncing around her,  
‘Ok Rufus I know I am late calm your tits.’ She said attaching his lead and leading him out to the pavement. Rufus pulled her to the right towards the church knowing the way by now sniffing at every tuft of grass eyeing every other passing dog or human until he was satisfied that the world was still in order and marched onwards tail aloft. Catherine stopped to say a quick hello to the vicar before slipping down the path next to the church to the sprawling Gloucestershire fields beyond. As soon as they were out of danger of cars she let Rufus off his lead seeing him bound down the track disappearing into hedgerows to appear moments later covered in leaves and twigs barking at her occasionally to tell her to hurry up but Catherine was letting her limbs soak up the late afternoon sun, somewhat of a rarity in May in the middle of England. She let her hair flow in the breeze not caring that she would look like an eighties reject by the time she got home and rolled up the sleeves of her t-shirt to try and get some colour into her pale skin. She rounded the corner out onto the bridle path calling to Rufus to stay away from the road finally reaching him and clipping his lead on with much protest,  
‘You can’t moan at me when you are dead.’ She said as a car zoomed by going much too fast for the road, she checked again crossing to the other side making her way down the side of the large estate that nobody ever seemed to occupy, ‘ah those famous rich people Rufus, more money than sense, who buys a mansion and then never lives in it?’ she said shaking her head walking towards the cottage close to the end of the drive. She glanced over the hedge seeing an older man knelt down in the middle of the rose bed, ‘afternoon Tim.’ She hollered seeing him straighten up his hands moving to his back as it creaked,   
‘Afternoon Cathy dear.’  
‘Lovely day for a spot of gardening.’ She said as Rufus barked at his front gate, the old man walked over to her reaching down and tickling behind the Irish setter’s ears getting a hefty lick for his troubles, ‘hello Rufus, yes I know mummy is getting later and later…working too hard.’ He said to the dog and Catherine laughed,  
‘It’s been manic with the warm weather all the city folk have come back to their idyllic retreat and we are devising a new range which we are trying to bring in plus updating some of the old classics.’ She said seeing Wanda wave at her from the side path bringing out some flowers and placing them down next to the front door step,  
‘Hello darling how are you?’ she approached wiping her hands on her shorts and leaning in to give the young woman a hug kissing her on the cheek before ruffling Rufus’s head,  
‘Good thanks you? How’s the knee?’   
‘Not too bad now the warmer weather is here.’  
‘You two looking forward to your cruise?’ she asked trying to get Rufus to sit down again but failing as he twisted around her knees,  
‘I think a little get away is just what we need but typical now that the sun has arrived.’ Wanda said rolling her bright blue eyes, ‘oh well. How’s work?’ she asked,  
‘Manic I was just telling Tim that we are launching some new lines, going to start making some different pastries and Danishes as well as some savoury items which is going to be fun, I mean we aren’t Greggs or anything but you know and then we have been looking in to buying the shop that has come up for sale next door and maybe turning it into a coffee shop use our bread and rolls for the sandwiches and I have been chatting to Kerry in the cake shop down the road and she said she could make muffins, cookies, cakes the lot. That leaves us to add in the pastries and hire people who can actually make coffee unlike me and see how it goes; we have made enough to be able to do it so that way it keeps the trade local.’  
‘Good on you.’ Wanda looked impressed,  
‘Well we have to do something to try and keep Starbucks out of town.’  
‘Well if you made Greggs disappear I’m sure you can keep the wolves at bay.’ Wanda said, ‘and we will certainly pop in when we come into town, won’t we Tim.’   
‘Definitely.’ He said, ‘well I will leave you two to gossip, those roses won’t weed themselves.’ He said disappearing into the large mass of leaves again.   
‘Cathy we have a favour to ask you.’ Wanda said,   
‘Ok.’ She said raising one eyebrow,   
‘On your way back how about you pop in for a coffee and we can both ask you.’ She said, Catherine agreed feeling Rufus pull at her again,   
‘I better let him off otherwise he will moan at me all night.’ She said, ‘I will be back in about an hour.’ She said waving goodbye and making her way to the fields her mind whirring about what the couple could want. 

Fifty minutes later she was back with a little bit of mud splattered up her calves from her quick dash through the woods pushing open the garden gate seeing Tim had long retreated inside the rose bed now weed free and the borders tidy, she tied Rufus to the cast iron boot scraper next to the door and rung the bell smiling as Tim answered the door,   
‘Come in dear, you don’t have to leave him outside you know bring him round the back.’ Tim said,  
‘I’ll go through the gate he got a bit muddy in the woods.’ She hoiked him round the back getting him to stay on the lawn, ‘can I borrow your hose?’ Wanda nodded, Catherine switched it on giving him a quick hose down telling him to go and lie in the sun seeing him immediately disappear into the far end of the garden sniffing around.  
‘So Cathy can I get you a drink?’ Wanda asked,   
‘You are buttering me up for something aren’t you?’ she asked,  
‘Yeah we are, I know this is a big ask but we are going away for a month and we need someone to water the garden, feed the fish and make sure the house isn’t burgled. We know you walk past here every day to walk Rufus so we were wondering we know it’s a huge ask, but Phil and Janice are coming with us and there isn’t anyone else we trust to look after the place. Tracy lives too far away she said she would pop down every week if she could which was no good and Ben well he is too busy.’ Wanda sighed.  
‘Of course I will do it, just leave me instructions and I might have a quick chop of the grass at some point if you want.’ She said accepting her gin and tonic,  
‘Oh ok that was…easy…’ Wanda said smiling,  
‘Well did you think I was going to say no, I have no life you know this, all I do is work, so coming and watering the garden or feeding the fish might be a welcome distraction.’ She said wondering if she really was the best person to pick, she hadn’t really ever been in the house before and only crossed beyond the gate a handful of times; it was no secret the couple who occupied Owl Cottage kept themselves to themselves.   
‘Excellent in that case I will put the dinner on.’ Wanda said, ‘do you eat fish?’   
‘I eat anything that doesn’t contain mustard.’ She said seeing Wanda disappear returning moments later with some salad in a bowl and some plates with the cutlery balanced on top. ‘Tell me Tim what do I have to do with this garden then? I don’t have to water my patio.’ He chuckled a deep laugh,  
‘Just water everything you see, pots twice as much as the ground, if it’s particularly dry give it a thorough going over. In terms of the grass the mower is in the shed the extension cable is on the hook above it and the power socket is in the conservatory, don’t worry about trimming the edges, you don’t need to do any weeding. The fish need feeding every other day in the summer, just a small scoop of food doesn’t matter what time of day.’ He said and Catherine nodded trying to take in all the information,  
‘Ok I think I can handle that.’ She said as Wanda came out with three plates of salmon and new potatoes, ‘this looks yummy.’ Catherine added as she got a pile of salad heaped on her plate, ‘so when do you two leave?’ she asked beginning to eat feeling ravenous,  
‘We leave for the port Wednesday night, so the first day that we need you to check is I suppose Thursday.’ Wanda said. Catherine nodded letting the group fall into a comfortable silence as they ate admiring the garden and the early summer sunshine.


	2. Chapter 2

Benedict gently placed the grapes down on his friend’s bedside table glancing around the small two bedded unit seeing the nurses flitting by,  
‘Hello mate.’ His friend said in a croaky voice,   
‘Hey Martin back in the land of the living I see.’ Ben said smiling, Martin looked up at the IV bag running into his arm shifting in the bed wincing a little, ‘you know you didn’t have to hold out longer than me it wasn’t a competition.’ Ben added,  
‘Well I thought if he can work until he collapses with pneumonia then I can soldier on with appendicitis.’ Martin joked.   
‘Well thanks to you we all get a week off.’ Ben added, ‘do you want a drink?’ he asked seeing his friend’s mouth was dry,  
‘Wouldn’t say no.’ he croaked in reply, Ben poured some water from the jug on the table finding the straw and moving it to his friend’s mouth letting him sip slowly, ‘god that’s better.’   
‘Hopefully if these antibiotics kick in you could be home tomorrow evening with Amanda fussing over you.’ Ben chipped in as Martin lent back his eyes drifting closed,  
‘I don’t know which would be more relaxing not sleeping here or Archie and the kids jumping all over me at home.’ He said making Ben chuckle. ‘What about you? What you going to do with your week off?’ Ben ran his fingers through his hair scratching the back of his neck idly,  
‘Dunno might go and visit the parents or something, I do owe them a visit and it might be nice to get some peace and quiet.’  
‘Do it mate you could use a fucking holiday you look rough as a badger’s arse.’   
‘I can see you are already getting back to your usual self.’ Ben said, ‘I will let you get some rest and I’ll pop back to see you in the morning before I go.’ He noted his friend was already slipping back to sleep, ‘just wanted to see my blogger hadn’t died.’ He hugged his friend briefly and made his way back out into the ward locating the sign for the exit he found a nurse, ‘hi I was wondering if you could help me? What are your visiting times?’ he asked, the woman smiled at him,  
‘Usually two until four and six until nine.’ She said,  
‘Damn do you think I could pop in for five minutes in the morning, I am disappearing for the week and want to make sure the stubborn git is ok?’ Ben asked employing all his charm.   
‘Make sure it is only five minutes.’ She warned, Ben flashed his blue eyes at her,  
‘Cross my heart, thank you.’ He said smiling at her and taking his moment to leave. He made his way back out to the pavement and looked around him trying to get his bearings before making his way in the direction of Warren Street station squeezing himself on the northern line forcing his way off at Hampstead and walking the short distance home. He pulled out his phone trying his mother’s mobile finding it was switched off as usual leaving her a message,  
‘Hi mum, how are you? I thought I would come and visit you. Martin has gone into hospital with appendicitis don’t worry he’s doing ok but we have a week off so I thought I would pop down. Give me a ring if you get this.’ He said hanging up ringing the house phone hearing it go to answer phone as well leaving almost exactly the same message. He tossed his mobile and keys onto the kitchen counter before making his way upstairs to his bedroom pulling open his wardrobe powering up his laptop checking the weather for Chipping Norton and dragging out a bag shoving in some clean underwear. He noted it was predicted to be fine for the next five days and tossed in as many pairs of shorts he could find that were clean a couple of pairs of jeans and some jazzy summer shirts and t-shirts knowing he would be unlikely to be going anywhere too exciting but zipped a pair of smart trousers and a smart shirt into a suit holder just in case tossing in a tie before wandering to the bathroom finding a wash bag from the cabinet and stuffing in his razor, toothbrush, toothpaste and shower items tossing it in a clean sweep into the bag punching the air in success. He grabbed his laptop firing off some emails to Mark and Steven telling them where he would be for the next few days telling them that he would be switching his mobile off but they could reach him on the landline, that he was going to get some peace and quiet. 

The drive was thankfully uneventful save for a bit of evening London traffic, despite him wanting to be away by midday it was more like 3pm when he finally left home having had an impromptu lunch with some friends and visited Martin in predefined visiting hours but he was on his way with the windows down and the sun blowing in his hair singing madly to the radio. He whizzed past Oxford and turned off his sat nav when he reached the sign for Chipping Norton slowing for the village going through most of the main town seeing that it was thankfully as peaceful as he remembered it before taking a small country lane near the church on the outskirts whizzing past the turning for the manor house and pulling into the cottage at the end. Switching off the engine he climbed out of the car stretching making his way down the path to the front door giving a swift knock shifting from one foot to the other before making his way round the side of the house peering into the windows trying to see if anyone was home before making it back to the front door,   
‘Hmm oh well.’ He said reaching up above the front door into the guttering finding the plastic bag taped to the inside which held the spare front door key using it to let himself in seeing a small pile of post on the mat he frowned picking it up and placing it on the table next to the door in the owl shaped bowl wiping his feet he wandered through to the kitchen having a look in the fridge seeing that there was nothing perishable at all, ‘weird.’ He closed it looking at the calendar pinned to the wall scrolling to today’s date, ‘oh fuck it.’ He said seeing the words CRUISE in large letters with an arrow extending for most of the month. ‘Oh well house to myself.’ He said realising he was talking to himself. He opened up the kitchen windows and the door out onto the patio letting some air into the house before wheeling the small barbeque from the shed setting it on one corner of the patio checking he had enough fuel before grabbing his wallet and keys making his way into town popping into the butcher,  
‘Hello.’ The man behind the counter called out,   
‘Hi.’ Ben replied having a quick look down the counter, ‘can I have some bacon please, and umm two of the leek, two of the sundried tomato and four normal sausages please. Ooh and two chicken quarters, hmm and no that will be good for now I think.’ He said as the man stacked them on the counter telling him the total price and handing him back his change. Ben dropped his purchases into his bag and thanked the man before making his way into the sunshine looking up and down the street spying a greengrocer ducking inside he bought himself some salad and some eggs paying for them and making his way back to the car grabbing himself a crate of beer and slipping it into the boot before heading home. ‘This is the life.’ He said to himself stripping off his t-shirt feeling the sun on his back as he stoked the barbeque before sitting down enjoying his beer listening to the birds chirping in the tree and the bees buzzing around him. 

***

Catherine poured some kibble into a bowl setting it down seeing Rufus go at it like lightening,  
‘Steady on you’ll choke.’ She said seeing him look up for a moment before licking the bowl clean and picking up his squeaky toy exiting the room, ‘and there’s gratitude for you.’ She said opening the fridge, ‘hmm looks like pasta again.’ She said to herself pulling out some items from the fridge gazing out of the window, ‘you know what fuck this.’ She said pulling out her keys and making her way out of the house and down the road she nipped in to the shop opposite the bakery, ‘hey Graham how’s things?’ she said looking down the counter,   
‘Not too bad, you fancy something in particular?’ he asked,  
‘Hmm I was going to make some burgers.’ She said, ‘given the weather it seems a shame not to spend some time outside.’ She mused trying to decide,   
‘In that case I would recommend some of the lamb mince they would make some nice burgers if you have any mint in the garden add some and chuck them on the grill.’ He said,  
‘That sounds like a plan.’ She said smiling at him,   
‘You know what I think I might rustle some up as well.’ He said thinking,   
‘I was going to go and get some rolls from the shop I’ll grab you a dozen as well.’ She said,  
‘Really? That would be great thanks.’ He said handing her her mince waving her money away, ‘on the house call it a fair trade.’   
‘Sweet I’ll be back in a minute.’ She said dashing out of the shop and across the road seeing him flip the closed sign behind her, she let herself in and walked to the back of the shop finding a tray of rolls in the chiller cabinet taking them out and covering the tray with a lid finding a few for herself and tossing the dough into two bags adding it to her shopping before locking up and slipping back into the closed shop sliding the tray across, ‘here stick this in the airing cupboard for about an hour and then into the oven at two hundred degrees for 15 minutes.’ She said, ‘and I threw in a couple of vanilla custard slices for you, put them in the freezer and then cook them when you need them, just in the oven from frozen with some milk wash about fifteen minutes at one seventy five until they go golden.’ She said,   
‘Cheers I will enjoy those with some coffee as dessert I think.’ He said licking his lips, ‘I hear you and Kerry are thinking about opening up a coffee shop.’ He said wiping down the counter,   
‘Yeah well the property has come up for sale and we thought why not snap it up keeps it local.’ She said,  
‘I was having a chat to Bill who runs the deli on the corner, he and I were thinking if you and Kerry want to have a meeting with us we have some ideas, he was thinking meats and cheeses, and I could do a slow roasted joint in his oven that you could use for hot rolls and salads, pulled pork, roast beef something like that. Christ I’m pretty sure we could go local for veg and salad too if we get the guys in the greengrocers involved.’  
‘Make a cooperative of sorts.’ She said thinking, ‘that would be an amazing plan at least I know the source of the food I am selling.’  
‘I don’t have time to run it of course but I’m sure that we could all do you a good deal and you know how the locals already love the local produce and keep saying they don’t want to see us go well this might be the way to keep their support.’   
‘Look I’m not exactly running it, just putting up the capital to buy it, I mean I have all these savings for a rainy day and all the inheritance gramp left me so why not use it instead of the tax man taking profit on my interest. I already have a business manager my friend from London is moving out here with her husband his company has just moved offices to Oxford so she is going to live here and he is going to commute, she is looking to getting back to work now the kids are going to school so it seemed like a perfect match.’ Catherine said,  
‘Seems like you have got it all planned out.’ He said,  
‘It has been over a year in the works but thankfully after many a sleepless night it is all falling into place yeah.’ She said smiling, ‘well I better be off dinner won’t cook itself.’ She said waving goodbye and walking the short distance to her house settling in for the evening.


	3. Chapter 3

Ben rolled over looking at the clock before leaning a little closer,  
‘Jesus.’ He said sitting up seeing it was almost midday before remembering he had turned his phone off for a reason letting his heart rate settle his pastel coloured room coming back into view, he pushed the covers back and rubbed his face padding to the bathroom emptying his insistent bladder and brushing his teeth. He picked up his copy of war poems and wandered downstairs brewing himself some coffee and finding the bacon in the fridge setting some out to grill as he looked for some bread, ‘bollocks.’ He said realising he didn’t buy any bread when he went shopping. He put the bacon back in the fridge and pulled on a shirt and some shorts finding his keys and making his way out making his way to the village parking just off of the main road. Ben looked around seeing a co-op wandering in and making his way down to the bread section,  
‘I would go to the bakery if I were you, no one gets bread from here from 7am to 4.30pm.’ an elderly man said to him,  
‘The bakery?’ Ben asked,  
‘Yeah middle of the high street almost opposite the butchers.’ He said,  
‘Cheers.’ Ben replied replacing his basket and walking back into the fresh air wandering down the high street noting that it looked quite chain free, despite one recognisable coffee shop there were still two independent florists, one butcher, one greengrocer, two delis one that looked like it catered more for the foreign items and the other more for the standard sandwich items and low and behold one bakery nestled close to a cake shop. He popped into the bakery hearing the bell tinkle and he looked around at all the things on offer, he picked a granary loaf and placed it in one of the brown paper bags before getting himself an iced bun feeling his stomach rumble, just as he was wondering how he was going to pay a woman popped her head out,   
‘Sorry give me a minute it’s just me and these pastries have to come out now.’ She said her head disappearing reappearing moments later obscured by a tray of Danish pastries placing them behind the counter. ‘Hi sorry about that.’ She said rinsing her hands,   
‘That’s alright.’ Ben said, ‘can I have one of those as well please.’ He said,  
‘Sure.’ She said placing it in a bag twisting it, ‘would you like the loaf sliced?’ she asked,  
‘Umm yeah sure if that’s ok?’ He replied,  
‘Medium or thick?’  
‘Medium please.’ She placed it into a machine at the far end of the counter pressing a button taking the loaf off the end and twisting the end of the bag it was deposited in closing the end and handing it to him,   
‘That will be £3.80 please,  
‘Is that all?’ he asked, handing over the money  
‘Yep small granary loaf is 80p and the pastries one fifty each.’ She said,   
‘Wow…’ he went to add something and an alarm went off from the back,   
‘Damn mixer is done.’ She said rolling her eyes, ‘roll on four thirty.’ She said and Ben thanked her making his way home eating his iced bun on the way polishing off two bacon sandwiches before looking at the to do list scrawled on the bottom of the calendar.   
‘Clean out fish pond.’ Ben read, ‘I can do that.’ He yanked his shirt off rolling up the legs of his old shorts and kicking off his shoes he found a bucket in the shed and filled it with some water finding his old net that he used to use to go fishing in the local stream and hooked the seven goldfish from the pond dropping them in the bucket one by one emptying most of the water onto the garden in the process. He set about pulling the majority of the pond weed from the bottom of the black lining tossing it in a heap before blasting the surfaces with the hose pipe feeling the slime coat his arms and chest as he scrubbed away at the surface trying to remove as much as possible before refilling the pond thankful there wasn’t a hosepipe ban; he righted the plants in the middle and finally poured the fish back in seeing them swim happily around. He replaced the mesh over the top and stood back admiring his handiwork; only then did he notice the burning sensation on his shoulders and placed his hand to them feeling the warmth of his skin, ‘shit.’ He said looking down seeing the bright red surface shining back at him. He washed as much of the dirt off as possible before making his way to the shower frowning at his bright red chest and back his arms not much better, at least his face had survived, ‘they will kill me.’ He said hoping he wouldn’t tan too much knowing that Sherlock wasn’t supposed to be particularly fond of the bronzed look. 

***

Catherine flipped the closed sign on the door and rested against it, it had been the day from hell when three people had called in sick which had left her to do everything. Normally she would get up early to let Rufus out and then go and put all the items in the ovens ready to open at seven then shuffle back to bed for a few hours sleep before actually starting the day at nine gradually dragging herself up and into work for about midday to do the late shift prepping the things for the next day so that her co-workers could pick up their kids etcetera but today she had been up for twelve hours already and it was only five in the evening, she didn’t know how much longer she was going to last. Then the oven had decided to break down at eight leaving her with thirty uncooked loaves of varying shapes and sizes and a backlog of pastries and other assorted items. Emergency fees paid for and a man that cost her an arm and a leg made a temporary fix and then her afternoon counter assistant called in sick as well as her afternoon baker; Catherine dashed back and forth between the front and the back trying to get all the deliveries out on time as well and just about managed it as well as having to make sure every shift was covered for the rest of the week.   
‘Thank god we are closed on Mondays.’ She said to herself shuffling back seeing she only had a few pastries left over from the day, she bagged them and marked them down placing them in the chiller as well as the two white loaves and wiped down the surfaces. She made her way into the kitchen making sure she had set the bread mixers and dividing out her loaves putting them into the cooler to stop them rising overnight, she added to her sourdough starter and finally flipped off the lights and locked the doors at six, trudging her way home she pushed the door open ignoring Rufus as he dropped the lead at her feet, ‘I’m so tired Rufus give me a minute.’ She said gulping down some water. He barked insistently, ‘shit I have to go feed the fish as well don’t I. Come on then but it’s going to be a short one.’ She said clipping on his lead and making her way to the small cottage at the end of the lane. Catherine opened the front gate making her way up the path seeing the front door was shut; she glanced to her left looking through the sitting room window seeing the back door was open, ‘stay here.’ She said to Rufus loosely tying his lead to the iron boot scraper creeping her way round the back of the house her heart beginning to pound in her chest. She poked her head through the open door looking around seeing no one was there and crept silently inside, ‘hello?’ she said not particularly loudly looking around for some kind of weapon. Seeing an old cricket bat she picked it up making her way through the downstairs hearing some running water coming from the landing, she paused as it turned off and she heard some footsteps, holding her breath she walked up the stairs holding the cricket bat above her head creeping towards the back bedroom she walked inside seeing nobody just an empty bag near the bed and remnants that someone had slept there, just as she turned to leave a somewhat naked man walked into the room. Catherine screamed as the man jumped a foot in the air, dropped her bat with a thud her mouth falling open,   
‘Who are you?!’ she screamed,  
‘Me? Who the fuck are you?’ the man shouted back his hand moving to cover his modesty,  
‘I’m house sitting! Who are you, why did you break in to have a shower?’ she asked confused,   
‘I’m their son for fucks sake!’ he explained pulling on the nearest pair of underwear seeing her turn away slightly,   
‘You scared the shit out of me!’ she countered turning back when he had got some shorts on, ‘you weren’t supposed to be here, you are always too busy, they told me. Jesus I almost had a heart attack.’  
‘You weren’t the one who was naked.’ He pointed out,   
‘So you’re uh…fuck I know this…B…something weird like Byron, Ber…Ben.’  
‘Ben will do.’ He said,  
‘Oh Ben that’s uh easy.’ She said rolling her eyes and bending down to pick up the bat,   
‘And you are?’ he said eyeing her suspiciously,   
‘Catherine I walk my dog past here every day, they asked me to check on the house make sure it didn’t get broken in to whilst they were away, feed the fish and all that.’ She said, ‘when did you get here?’ she said watching him rubbing moisturiser onto his burnt shoulders,   
‘Last night…hey you’re bakery woman…’ he said watching her in the mirror as she looked around his room,  
‘I own it.’ She replied with compete modesty,  
‘Really, that’s interesting.’ He said, she huffed,  
‘Why because I’m a woman?’ she asked sarcastically, ‘oh for fucks sake give me that.’ She said taking the bottle from him and coating most of his back,  
‘Cold, cold!’ he winced as she snapped the lid back on handing it back, ‘thanks, and no it has nothing to do with the fact you are a woman…it was…never mind.’ He said hearing the dog begin to bark louder,  
‘I should go and inform my dog you haven’t murdered me.’ She said walking away leaving him staring at the empty doorframe that she had occupied.

Ben stared at it for a moment before shaking his head and pulling on a shirt ran down the stairs after her to find her putting some fish food in the pond before stowing the jar back in the shed disappearing down the side of the house,  
‘Hey wait up.’ He called seeing her stop, ‘maybe I should buy you a drink or something to apologise for scaring the shit out of you.’ He felt a furry nose sniffing at his ankles,   
‘You don’t have to do that, I have to be shooting off, Rufus no.’ she said holding onto the dog’s collar to stop him jumping up,  
‘Who’s this?’ Ben said bending down and ruffling behind his ears,  
‘Rufus the pain in my arse.’ She said failing to hold him back as he moved from her grip jumping up at Ben his paws landing in the middle of his chest, ‘down!’ she said seeing him half think about what she said before reluctantly moving.  
‘He’s cute, look do you have to rush off? Why don’t you let me get you that drink?’ he offered,  
‘I have had a really long day at work and I have a ton of paperwork to do, Rufus needs feeding and I have to cook myself some dinner, so I apologise but I am going to have to go.’ She said clipping on her dog’s lead as he continued to sniff Ben’s feet before dropping his ball onto his espadrilles.   
‘Then my argument is I can give you some dinner, and a drink to unwind. Granted I can’t do the paperwork for you but it sounds like you have had a shitty day and that maybe you could use an ear to listen. I’m sure we can find something for Rufus.’ Ben said wondering why he was trying quite so hard to make her stay, ‘and you can tell me what my parents have been up too.’ He added, Catherine rolled her eyes, she knew she should have carried on walking when he called her but she was still standing in front of him trying not to look at the bright red skin on his chest or nose whilst wondering why she was so intent on refusing his offer.   
‘Fine.’ She said bending down unclipping Rufus’s lead and rolling it up stuffing it in her bag. Ben followed her back round the back of the house and into the kitchen,  
‘Umm ok so I was going to have some chicken that I cooked last night and some salad seeing as it is so nice out. I can always boil some eggs and umm there are some sausages…’ he said looking round his fridge,   
‘How about chicken salad and I saw some fruit bushes out there…and yep,’ she looked in the cupboard and the fridge, ‘I can make some puff pastry and we can have mixed berry Danish pastries or tartlets something like that or some hazelnut meringues and some fruit.’ She looked in another cupboard.  
‘Seriously?’ he said, ‘umm I’m going to go for the pastries.’ He said  
‘I do own and run a bakery you know.’ She said with a sly smile taking the butter out of the fridge finding some flour and a mixing bowl   
‘I’m not mentioning that again seeing as last time you bit my head off.’ He said taking the chicken out and finding a bowl putting his eggs on to boil,  
‘I’m sorry about that I really was just tired and freaking out slightly that someone had broken in on my first day of house sitting. I’m not really a huge bitch you know.’ She added finishing her pastry and putting it in the fridge finding something to collect the fruit in. Ben watched her out the window as he ran the water into the sink doing some washing up seeing as she meandered her way picking some early strawberries wandering down between all the sprouting vegetables and seeing the greenhouse pulling the door open gathering some of the berries that were bearing fruit early thanks to the warm surroundings. He smiled as she played with her dog tossing his ball around a little before bending down making a fuss of the red haired dog; Catherine stood up her eyes taking in the back of the small cottage, admiring the clematis that was beginning to cover most of the house its buds beginning to swell with the spring, the small but picturesque windows looking out onto the sprawling garden, small orchard and patio area extending down both sides of the house. As she looked at the kitchen she watched the man she had only just met washing the dishes his sleeves rolled up as he frantically scrubbed something his dark curly hair flopping into his eyes, she took him in for a moment, his pale skin, almost gaunt features carving out sharp cheekbones and full lips. He was almost unhealthily thin and she remembered feeling every prominence of his spine and ribs as she rubbed lotion on his back, she bit her lip trying to think of everything Wanda and Tim had ever told her about him but just as she recalled some information his eyes snapped up to look at her piercing her with his blue-green gaze and she looked down petting Rufus on the head before walking back to the house.


	4. Chapter 4

Catherine grabbed some sugar from the cupboard adding it to a pan with her freshly washer fruit and a little water feeling Ben’s eyes watching her as she cooked,  
‘What are you doing?’ he asked genuinely intrigued.  
‘Just making the fruit reduction, caramelising it a bit so that it doesn’t taste too tart with the sweet pastry.’ She said, ‘I tell you what you can roll it out for me if you want.’ She said, Ben held up his hands,  
‘Oh I wouldn’t trust me if I were you, god knows what it will end up like.’ He said rubbing his neck,   
‘You will be fine rustic will do, here I’ll show you the basics.’ She said taking the flour and sprinkling some onto the surface and some onto his hands and the rolling pin, she slipped in behind him taking hold of his hands and the rolling pin peeking over his shoulder, ‘ok you want to hold the pin loosely, people make the mistake of gripping it too tight and then you get uneven thickness.’ She said moving his hands forward on the pastry, ‘then you twist and repeat.’ She said twisting the pastry and leaving him to it. ‘Just keep going until it is about half a centimetre thick.’ She took the fruit off to cool and finding two bottles of beer from the fridge extracting the bottle opener from the drawer drinking some and placing the other next to him.  
‘Ok I’m done I think.’ He said,  
‘Right now you need to cut them into squares about 6 inches square.’ She handed him a pizza cutter seeing him get to work biting his bottom lip in concentration before presenting her with three neatish squares. She handed him a pot of jam and a spoon, ‘I’ll show you one and you can do the rest.’ She said spreading some jam into the middle folding all our corners into the middle and placing a spoonful of fruit in the centre placing it on the baking tray,  
‘It’s that easy?’ he said,  
‘Yeah the only reason you need jam is to stick the pastry down.’ She noted seeing him copy her as she made a last square from the leftovers, ‘now just pop them in the oven.’  
‘Why doesn’t everyone just make these?’ he said sipping his beer,  
‘I guess laziness or ignorance as to how easy they are, either way it keeps me in business.’ Ben watched intently as she talked,  
‘So tell me about yourself Catherine.’ He said  
‘Ok well umm I suppose the basics. I’m 34 umm born in oxford went to uni in London, studied maths which was boring and easy and the post grad business management masters. Worked for a consultancy firm until I was 27 and then mum got ill so I came home to look after her and looked after her little crafts shop. When she died I guess it was too late to leave and I needed to find something to fill the days. I couldn’t bear rattling around in the big old house so I sold it bought a place in town, started baking for comfort something I had always been I suppose good at and got really fat. My friends went for an intervention and that’s when we had the idea to convert the shop into a bakery. I got Rufus and a business plan together and here we are now.’ She said, ‘in a nutshell.’ Ben paused for a moment unsure of what to say, ‘don’t worry it’s been seven years you don’t have to say you’re sorry.’ She added seeing him exhale,  
‘What about your dad?’   
‘Standard follow up question I suppose…well he is a fucking useless twat so I guess better off without him.’ She took the pastries out of the oven leaving them to cool as they took the other food outside, ‘he married about his intellect although he says class but basically he didn’t fit in with our family. He had oh I don’t know about nine or ten affairs and disappeared when I was about fourteen. I should say I missed him but well he was hardly ever there so there wasn’t much to miss. Mum had it worse she had been in complete denial about the whole thing, she got really low but we held it together.’ She said,  
‘I should say I empathise but the truth is my childhood was completely normal.’ He said,  
‘Oh god don’t think I’m cynical or jaded or hate and distrust all men. Far from it I had an amazing childhood, apart from maybe the lack of boys at boarding school, mum more than made up for dad not being there.’ She said,  
‘So are you married then?’ he asked,  
‘Nope, not married, not divorced, not engaged or attached. When the hell do you find the time?’ she laughed as he chuckled with her,  
‘Tell me about it.’ He agreed,  
‘And I love the thought that being single in your thirties means you are a) in the closet, b) a spinster with cats, c) a psychological mess, d) not trying hard enough to find someone.’ She said eating her salad, ‘so which one are you?’ Ben thought for a second,  
‘I’m e) long tern girlfriend that took twelve years of my life and left me fuck all to show for it.’ He admitted,  
‘Ahh jilted, you know that’s a dangerous slip away from grumpy old and cynical.’ Ben bent over with laughter,  
‘Oh god you are so right, and now all I get from mum is when am I going to get married and when will she get babies.’ He rolled his eyes,  
‘And you are thinking when I have got my wild casual fling phase that I never had out of the way and one of those was interesting enough to spend more than one night with.’  
‘Oh my god you are so right. I couldn’t have put it better myself.’ He nodded finishing his beer, ‘you want another?’   
‘Got anything a little less fizzy with a bit more alcohol?’ she said,  
‘I’m sure we do.’ He took the plates inside.

When he reappeared fifteen minutes later he placed the bottle of wine and the glasses down on the table making space for the pastries his eyes flicking over to Catherine who seemed fast asleep. Ben saw her dark hair waft across her face with the breeze her arms splayed over the arms of the chair her legs relaxed as she tried to catch a few spring rays her shorts rolled up to the middle of her thighs. He shook himself moving his attention to opening the wine before she woke up seeing a total stranger was staring at her. With the pop of the cork she opened her eyes sitting up a little,   
‘Have a nice snooze.’   
‘I wasn’t asleep I was listening to the birds.’ She said accepting her wine readily, ‘well thanks for the apology drink, you were right I think company was just what I needed, it gets a little dull stuck in the house every evening.’  
‘Don’t you go out?’ he asked,  
‘I go to salsa dancing on a Tuesday night umm I run a baking class on a Wednesday evening, Thursday I am free, Friday I tend to go to the pub or out to dinner with my friends who help me do the baking class, the weekend is how the mood takes me, and Monday the bakery is closed so I get my one lie in a week.’   
‘A yes would have sufficed.’   
‘Ah but you see I haven’t had a holiday in hmm three years now I get up at 5am to go to the bakery get everything ready to open at seven, then go home, have a nap for two hours, get up do the morning shift go home at two usually and pop back in the evenings if I have to. So it’s a screwed up sleeping pattern but it works.’   
‘I don’t think I have had a holiday in about three years either. Every time I think about booking one there’s a call, and an audition and then a film to do. I would say I have probably gotten up before 9am and returned home after 9pm on I don’t know eighty percent of the days of the year, which leaves very little time for any kind of life, social or otherwise.’ He said,  
‘God I feel shitty when I complain when I am doing something I love but it sucks balls doesn’t it?’ she said,   
‘Cheers to that.’ He held up his glass and she clinked hers against it taking a gulp and setting it down, ‘right we better try some of these.’ He said handing her a plate with a pastry on it, ‘if it’s crap I blame you.’ He joked biting into it, ‘however it’s amazing…thanks to me.’ He grinned seeing her smile,   
‘You have jam on your cheek.’ She said, ‘not there.’ She said as he rubbed his face missing it entirely, she lent forward wiping his cheek near his eye, ‘there.’ She finished leaning back and eating hers a little more daintily.   
‘Go on then give me the worst, what have my parents told you about me.’  
‘Honestly not much, they complain a lot.’ She giggled, ‘that you don’t visit, you don’t call and yet they love you a lot, your mum is so proud of you I can tell. She gets so excited about every role you get and she tells me what exotic places you keep jetting off too. To be honest I had never been inside the house until today, they are both very private and I guess guarded about you now that I have been told you have received worldwide fame. There has been the odd reporter at the gates moment and shit so I suppose they just put up that defence, I was surprised when they asked me to house sit honestly. Your dad has helped me out a few times, fixed some things for me and your mum looked after Rufus once for a few days.’ She admitted,  
‘Yeah they do keep private I guess from the days when they were recognised a lot and now with me.’  
‘So go on then what am I supposed to have seen you in?’ she said,  
‘You’re kidding me right?’   
‘I told you I didn’t have a life the only thing I think I watch every week is Holby City.’  
‘Ah that hard hitting medical drama.’ He mocked,  
‘Come on then mister superstar hit me.’ She jested back,  
‘You want films or TV?’  
‘I’ll take films please…’  
‘Umm ok War Horse…’  
‘Which person?’  
‘I had a moustache I was in it for about ten minutes and I was riding the big black horse.’   
‘Hmm ok…what else?’  
‘You know you should have picked TV but ok Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.’ She lent forward looking at him narrowing her eyes,  
‘I was blonde.’ He tried to explain as she swept her eyes across his face again.  
‘Oh with the fringe? And the Citroen?’   
‘That’s me, look I’m gonna be in a lot of films pick TV.’  
‘Alright then, TV, and you were good as blondie the superspy.’  
‘Thanks. Ok let’s go back to Hawking,’ she looked blank, ‘umm I did a five parter called The Last Enemy,’ she continued to stare at him, ‘oh fine I’ll use the trump card, I play Sherlock Holmes.’ He said leaning back,  
‘In what?’ she asked and his mouth fell open,   
‘In uh Sherlock.’ He said,  
‘Never seen it…oh my god you are, you’re Rory Slippery! You are aren’t you? In Fortysomething?’ he shook his head in disbelief,  
‘Yeah I am, I was, that was me.’ He got there finally, ‘that out of everything, that is what you have seen me in?’  
‘I have it on DVD.’ She said proudly, ‘you were awesome!’  
‘Ok I’ll take it.’ He said a little deflated,   
‘Hey don’t take it personally I told you I am crap at this sort of thing. I’ll Google you later or something so that I am better informed when we next cross paths.’   
‘Jesus don’t do that god knows what you will think about me then.’ He said looking up as a flash light up the sky followed by a clap of thunder, Rufus began to howl immediately fleeing inside and hiding under the kitchen table and a few moments later the rain began to pour.  
‘Shit!’ they both said gathering the wine and food and running inside slamming the door. 

***

Ben turned off the TV hearing the soft rhythmic breathing from the woman next to him on the sofa, half way through the movie she had dropped onto his shoulder and stayed there for the next hour barely moving save to drape her arm across his stomach and he didn’t have the heart to move her, but he realised as time went on that he missed this, the simple cuddles, the closeness that he used to share with Olivia that he never got with any of his conquests and so he moved his arm around her shoulders and relished in that moment. He moved himself gently away letting her lie down on the vast sofa placing a cushion under her head and a few blankets over her leaving the lamp in the far corner on and giving Rufus a blanket and a cushion of his own, he found her phone and quickly set the alarm for five plugging it in to the spare charger acquisitioned from the kitchen drawer and left it near her before making his way upstairs quickly falling asleep. Catherine woke with a start as her alarm went off sitting up and looking around her rubbing her eyes as Rufus came and placed his head in her lap,  
‘Morning fluffy face.’ She said getting up looking around her mind realising that she wasn’t in her own house, ‘did we fall asleep?’ she whispered seeing that Ben had plugged her phone in and set her alarm not to mention tucking her in for the night and the thought made her smile, ‘come on we better make a move.’ She said clipping on Rufus’s lead before using the bathroom quickly before creeping out of the back door closing it gently. She walked the short distance to her house a smile on her face the whole way before letting herself in and showering quickly before leaving Rufus munching on his kibble. She tied her hair back into a plait and yanked on some jeans and a stripy t-shirt before legging it to the bakery, she just managed to get the bread in the ovens and the pastries completed getting the first batch onto the shelves as the clock reached seven, she flipped the door sign and undid the lock seeing her the first batch of her regulars,   
‘Morning.’ She said as she sold the commuters their breakfast of croissants, pain au chocolat, Danish pastries and other items chatting to them all with a beaming smile on her face,  
‘Morning dear, you look cheerful today.’ Sandra said picking up her morning bread,  
‘I had a good evening yesterday I suppose.’ She shrugged as half seven rolled around and she managed to get her deliveries out. She snuck into the back picking up her croissants running across the road she picked up some milk and made her way back to the cottage sneaking in through the back door placing the milk in the fridge and the croissants on the table in their paper bag scrawling a note and stapling it to the bag,  
“Thanks for lending an ear; I had a really good night, just a little something to say thanks and my apologies for scaring you. Cathy x.” she stuck the note under the bag sneaking back out with a skip in her step.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a short one I'm afraid but it seemed a good pause point, and I'm off to work a 13 hour shift tomorrow so might not get an update for a few days.

Ben swung his feet from the bed feeling his toes hit the soft rug tickling the soles of his feet, the birds had been chirping for a good few hours and he felt he could doze no longer, he listened intently for any noise and hearing none he got up emptying his insistent bladder before padding downstairs in an old t-shirt and some underwear just in case his guest was still there. He noticed the living room curtains were pulled back and the room filled with light, the cushions on the sofa were plumped and set back in their place and all the blankets neatly folded and draped over the end. Smiling to himself he padded to the kitchen yawning and rubbing his eyes switching on the kettle and opening the fridge wondering what to eat for breakfast before spinning round to get a cup and noticing the bag in the middle of the kitchen table, frowning he walked to it picking up the note his smile widening before peeking inside. The smell of freshly baked still warm croissants filled his nose and his mouth began to water instantly; he grabbed a plate and found some apricot jam in the fridge making his coffee and retreating to the sitting room finding the news channel and began to tuck in his stomach growling in approval as he ate making sure he licked all the remnants off of his fingers in the process.   
‘Right what to do today?’ he said looking up at the clock seeing it was now nearly eleven. His mind thought back to the night before. For the first time in a long time it was refreshing to spend some time with someone just having a drink and having a laugh; he was painfully shy when it came to women but Catherine was different, she didn’t take any crap and seemed to be brutally honest which was refreshing. He picked up his laptop and checked the local area for some good places to visit, by the time he had finished he had downloaded a five and half mile walk taking in the local mills which looked interesting and dog friendly, and many guides to Oxford and the surrounding villages. Buoyed with his new found enthusiasm he grabbed his keys and walked the short distance into town enjoying the sunshine on his face and the gentle hum of the town as it came into view; he walked into the bakery hearing the bell tinkle and waited patiently in line,  
‘Oh hi!’ Catherine said somewhat overenthusiastically making her colleagues look up, she had been in a good mood all morning and they had wondered why but now she could hear them whisper a little,  
‘I was wondering if I could have a quick chat?’ Ben said indicating a quiet corner,   
‘Sure.’ She said washing her hands and untying her apron setting it aside.   
‘Thank you for the croissants they were delicious, I think if I lived here permanently I would be as fat as a house.’ He started seeing her grin,   
‘Well I wanted to say thanks somehow I had a really good time last night, it was nice to have some light conversation it’s all been about work recently.’ She rolled her eyes, ‘and someone who is refreshingly honest not trying to be friends with me because of…well anyway, you wanted to ask me something?’ she said waving her hands at her rambling,  
‘I was wondering you said you finish at one, if I could, I mean if you would like to spend the afternoon with me?’ he said,  
‘Oh umm.’  
‘Don’t worry if you have other plans, maybe tomorrow?’ he looked at her with hopeful blue eyes which slowly began to fade, ‘just as friends of course…’ he added cursing himself that he thought it would be anything more.   
‘She’s free…’ Alice squeaked from behind her earning a sharp look from her boss, ‘I mean well you are free today and you know we could cover for you tomorrow…just saying…’ she added going back to cleaning up the counters.  
‘And she needs to get a life.’  
‘Yes thank you all for your input but as you can see I am standing here and I am an adult and capable of making my own decisions…’ she said her hands on her hips seeing Ben trying not to laugh as she turned back to face him sighing,  
‘Yes ok it appears I am free this afternoon and tomorrow.’ She said looking over her shoulder, ‘but god knows who will do the accounts!’ she said loudly seeing her friends scuttle away.   
‘I’m sure they can wait, I bet you are ahead anyway. I will come and pick you and Rufus up at one sharp.’ He said seeing her look at him for a minute,  
‘Ok…not going to tell me where we are going?’ she said,   
‘That ruins the surprise.’ He said winking grinning at her and turning on his heel, ‘oh I hope you have some walking shoes.’ He said as he closed the door,  
‘Sooo he’s what’s put the smile on your face.’ Anthony teased seeing her narrow her eyes at him,   
‘You know I hate you all.’ She said wandering back into the kitchen,  
‘Oh come on he’s cute. Who is he by the way?’ Alice asked tucking a strand of greying hair under her hat,   
‘His name is Ben, he’s Wanda and Tim’s son.’ She explained,  
‘Oh yes the actor from London I remember now.’ She said, ‘look dear it’s about time you had some fun you have been working so much recently live life a little.’ She said touching her shoulder gently, ‘otherwise you will get to my age and regret the things you didn’t do.’   
‘I know but what if I like him and then he leaves and christ I don’t know.’ She sighed,  
‘A life lived in fear is a life half lived.’ She said seeing Catherine smile.  
‘God why are you always right Alice?’ she said,  
‘I’m old dear it comes with the territory.’ She said getting back to work. 

Ben whipped out his phone turning it on for the first time in two days ignoring all the messages and making some quick phone calls smiling to himself as he packed a small bag for himself thankful that he had packed a shirt and tie, he felt butterflies swirl in his stomach at the thought of getting this woman to himself for almost a whole weekend. He hastily bought himself a pair of hiking shoes and a rucksack before picking up a thermos flask and some bottles of water before making his way back into town arriving at the bakery at precisely one in the afternoon,  
‘Give me one minute.’ She said, ‘unless we are on a military schedule?’ she joked,  
‘Not that rigid I can assure you.’ He said following her to her house seeing her dig out her hiking boots,   
‘So what on earth do I need these for?’ she asked intrigued,  
‘Well I thought you me and Rufus would go for a little hike through the woods in Shotover Park and then if you wanted to spend the evening with me?’ he asked and she took a moment, ‘not like that.’ He added waggling his finger, ‘I meant continue with my surprise if you want, but if you want to come home then that’s fine.’   
‘I’m game let’s go.’ She said finding some toys for Rufus and a dog bed with a blanket to protect the car seat and allowed Ben to lead her down to his car, ‘wow is this yours?’ she asked taking in his maroon jaguar,   
‘Yep.’ He said loading Rufus in the back and closing the door,   
‘Swish.’ She said climbing into the passenger seat, ‘beats my clapped out Fiat.’ And he laughed, ‘god I don’t think Rufus should be in here he might get fur everywhere, and my muddy old boots.’ She said looking down at his mats now covered in dried mud,   
‘Oh it’ll hoover up don’t worry.’ He reassured her buckling his belt and starting the car setting his sat nav he drove away feeling the silence descend. After ten minutes of concentrating on the road he looked across to see if she was still awake, ‘you haven’t gone to sleep again have you?’ he asked making her smile her eyes crinkling beneath her sunglasses.  
‘Not yet.’ She turned to face him moving her glasses on top of her head smoothing out her wavy ponytail that jutted directly out from the back of her head. ‘Can I ask you something?’ she bit her lip,  
‘Sure.’ He furrowed the top of his nose,  
‘Can we turn the air conditioning off and open the windows?’ Ben smiled pressing a few buttons and the cool air around her feet ceased and the windows gently descended Rufus barked his approval heartily leaning his head out of the back his ears flapping in the wind.   
‘Can I ask you a question?’ he said,   
‘Of course.’   
‘Honestly would you have come with me if everyone at work hadn’t pushed you?’ he asked his eyes sticking to the road,   
‘Of course I would.’ She said quickly,  
‘No but really would you, I know I come across a bit of a loner and I’m sure there are other things you would rather do.’ He went to change gear and found that Catherine had placed her hand on top of his hand giving it a quick squeeze,  
‘Don’t put yourself down, you are funny, you make me laugh, you are honest and decent – well so far anyway – and you’re not a loner you’re just busy. If I didn’t want to come with you I would have done the decent thing and said no when you first asked. Truth be told I am quite excited as to what you have planned, I don’t want you to tell me a thing until we get there, I want it all to be a surprise.’ She said smiling at him, ‘although why you are doing it I don’t know, I wondered if you had killed the dog, or burnt the house down and were going to let me take the fall for it.’ She jested,  
‘Ah well yes about the house…’ he began his face dead pan straight before cracking earning him a slap on the back of his wrist,   
‘Arse.’ She said putting her sunglasses back on picking up his i-Pod and shuffling through the tracks, ‘this will do.’ She said putting on some relaxing classical music,  
‘Interesting pick.’ He noted,  
‘Really? You have some classical greats on there Vivaldi is perfect for a summer’s day.’ She said, he wondered how he had stumbled upon this woman and how many more little interesting titbits he was going to discover but for now he enjoyed the calm and silence of the car as they meandered their way down the country lanes.


	6. Chapter 6

Ben clipped Rufus’s lead on wrapping the other end around his wrist as he made sure the backpack was secure seeing Catherine finish tying her boots pushing her socks down to expose her lightly tanned ankles,  
‘Right so I had a look at some trails and there is one that goes down through the woods and then back across the far side of the park looping back here by going through the marsh area.’ He said,   
‘Sounds great.’ She said, ‘are you sure you don’t want me to take anything?’ she asked,   
‘No I’m fine.’ He replied pulling out his sheet and looking for the signs heading off towards the wood Rufus poking his head into every bush and tree,   
‘You can probably actually let him off now we are away from the car park, don’t worry he doesn’t run off too far.’ She said as he unclipped his lead seeing him bound off into the woods.   
‘So you said that you were born in Oxford?’ he asked smoothing his unruly hair back off of his forehead thankful he had applied some sunscreen before he came out as he felt the sun hitting his face.   
‘Yeah I was born there basically because it was the nearest big hospital, I decided to burst onto this planet three weeks early and back in the late seventies that wasn’t the done thing.’ She said picking a leaf from the tree and fiddling with it, ‘what about you?’ she asked,  
‘I was born in London; we lived in West Kensington until my parents bought this little cottage out here when I was about hmm 12 or 13 something like that. I didn’t spend much time here just the odd summer holiday but most of the time we were down in Devon visiting gran and being on the beach.’ He said,   
‘Ah that will be why I never saw you then, I spent most of my summers abroad and most of term time here, I suppose your parents were in London for the winter?’ she asked seeing him nod,  
‘Yeah whilst every one was off in Aspen I was at home in my parent’s psychedelic flat bumming around London.’ He confessed,  
‘There are worse winter holidays.’ She countered, ‘where did you board?’   
‘Harrow, don’t judge me I’m not one of the super rich weirdoes I promise.’ He said holding his hands up seeing her smile, ‘how about you?’  
‘Oh god the classic where every woman in my family has been forced to go, Cheltenham Ladies.’ She rolled her eyes,  
‘And you boarded isn’t that like close?’ he said not knowing the distance.   
‘It’s about an hour away in decent morning traffic and my parents were inertly lazy so I just decided to board but I was home most weekends. Unlike you I suppose, although Harrow isn’t exactly Timbuktu.’ She noted, ‘it’s probably closer to west London than I was to my school. In fact isn’t it in west London?’ she said, ‘oh you were just boarders weren’t you?’ she said finally figuring it out,  
‘Yep.’ He said, ‘But to be fair I loved it, it was like getting a pack of brothers and just pissing about all the time.’ Catherine mused this fact,  
‘I guess I could have been a day pupil but with everything going on at home being away with my friends was probably the best thing for me, and that’s where my friends were so we got to hang out at the weekend and it made sense in my mind to be there.’   
‘It’s so hard to explain boarding to people who have never done it all they think are kids crying in corners for their parents and bitchy friendship groups.’ He reasoned seeing her nod,  
‘I mean there are people who miss home but they are very few and we all group together to make them feel better.’ She replied as they navigated a steep downwards slope  
‘You alright there?’ he asked as she twisted left and right trying to get down failing miserably.   
‘I can’t decide if I want to go left or right.’ She said putting her foot down feeling some of the ground slip away,   
‘Come to this side.’ He motioned, ‘put one foot here.’ He pointed at a small ledge, reaching up he gripped her waist with both hands bracing himself feeling her slip a hand onto his shoulder the other gripping a tree root that was left sticking out and gently leaning forward, ‘ok you might have to jump a bit.’ He added seeing her eye the ground suspiciously as she swung her other foot round half falling down the drop gripping at his other arm in panic,   
‘Frigging hell.’ She said standing up pushing the hair from her face smearing green tree lichen across her forehead making Ben smile, ‘thanks.’ She said releasing his arm her hand hovering on his shoulder for a little longer than necessary feeling his hands move from her waist.   
‘You have tree on your face.’ He noted,  
‘Not to worry I’ll get it off later, I need to wash my hands anyway.’ She said seeing him look at her quizzically, ‘what?’  
‘Most women would freak out and rub frantically it just surprises me how down to earth you are.’ He said, ‘it’s refreshing.’  
‘Well we’re in the middle of a wood in the middle of nowhere so it doesn’t matter all that much and I already had to come to terms with my unruly hair and overly hairy top lip in life, not to mention the fact that I am considered a giant amongst small people.’  
‘Yeah how tall are you?’ he asked looking her up and down realising he hadn’t really had to bend his neck whilst looking at her once.   
‘In centimetres or feet and inches?’ she said,  
‘Both,’ he grinned feeling her flick his arm with her index finger,  
‘I am five foot eleven, 180 centimetres.’ She said with a flourish, ‘I’m gonna guess you are about hmm six foot, a little over?’ she said,  
‘Yep one eighty five.’ He replied impressed, ‘and you aren’t a giant you are quite elegant for a tall person.’ He said glancing at her top lip seeing her raise an eyebrow before sticking her tongue out at him.  
‘Like a giraffe or a swan? And you haven’t seen me dance, or climb, run, umm swim…basically anything, god sport is the worst.’ She said making him laugh,   
‘Like me then, I tend to be on the clumsy side…and I love to dance but I am as my friends put it, my own free man.’ He said,   
‘Wow I am intrigued…’ she widened her eyes grinning just as they emerged from the woods navigating the short walk across the open fields. Once they reached the far side they took a moment to look down over the wood they had just climbed up through and down into the valley that stretched out before them, ‘it’s so beautiful this country isn’t it?’ she said looking across at Ben who was scanning the landscape,  
‘Sometimes I wonder why British people moan so much, someone told me once don’t read the sign, don’t talk, don’t take a picture just take a minute to stand and look.’ Catherine didn’t respond she just took her minute to admire the view before Rufus barked at her.

Ben slipped his rucksack from his back and took out the small plastic container placing it on the ground and filling it with water seeing Rufus lap it up before kneeling down tickling behind his ears,   
‘Smile.’ He heard looking up grinning as Catherine snapped their picture, ‘that’s quite a good one.’ She said flipping the phone and showing him seeing him pull a face,  
‘Christ I look like a ghost.’ He said,  
‘Now you mention it why are you so pale? And I don’t mean to pry but I’m confused you seem to have a healthy appetite but you are sort of anorexic thin. Or is that the look you are going for?’ she frowned as he whipped out two bottles of water handing her one,  
‘You know I mentioned Sherlock?’ she nodded, ‘well it comes with the hair and the painful dieting.’ He said, ‘sometimes I get so hungry that I get a right strop on, I have tried it all, soup diets, crazy exercise regimes, I am currently on this five two nonsense thing, but I have given it up for these few days and I have to tell you god I don’t miss it. For me especially I know it is supposed to prolong your life but I might die of starvation long before that I mean I have always been on the skinny side both a blessing and a curse what with the weird face I can’t even rely on my body to get me parts.’  
‘I think you would look alright with a bit more on you and maybe a bit of colour but I understand that work comes first and I guess it’s the mindset, you put the costume on and you look the right way hair, make up, physique and then it makes it easier to become that part.’  
‘That’s exactly it, but for the four months you are doing it it’s not easy.’ He handed her a sandwich, ‘I took the liberty of taking a wild guess. Your bread, ham, lettuce and cucumber with a bit of cheese in there.’ He said   
‘Perfect.’ She replied, ‘thanks I was getting a bit hungry.’ She admitted unwrapping the clingfilm and sitting down on the nearest bench tucking in trying not to touch it with her dirty hands, ‘mmm yummy.’ She said devouring it in a few minutes,   
‘You weren’t joking were you?’ he said pulling out some crisps and offering them too her seeing her eat them a little slower,  
‘Sorry I’m not the most elegant when I eat either.’ She confessed as she shared the crisps with him wiping her hands in the tissue he handed her putting all her rubbish back into the rucksack and emptying her water bottle,   
‘Now given my slightly rushed lunch packing you can have an apple and an orange or an apple and a banana.’ He said,  
‘Umm I don’t like bananas quite so much so I’ll go orange.’ She said peeling it quickly and offering him some before stealing a bite of his banana, they finished in silence watching a couple walk past,   
‘Excuse me sorry would you mind taking our picture?’ Ben said seeing them smile at him,  
‘Of course not.’ The man said accepting Ben’s camera, Catherine walked next to him sneaking her arm around his waist feeling him place his loosely on her shoulders managing to get the valley in the background with the wood on the edge, Rufus true to form stuck himself in the centre of the picture posing proudly as the man snapped a couple. Ben quickly sent her the best two before pocketing his phone thanking the man and gathering up the considerably lighter rucksack and following Catherine down the slope of the field; at the bottom they followed the gravel path to the edge of the lakes and wandered out onto the wooden walkways crisscrossing through the marshy area at bottom of the valley. He covertly whipped out his phone as she stood in the gentle afternoon sunlight illuminating her skin, the wind rustling through the reeds blowing her hair back from her face as she scanned the local wildfowl one hand resting on her hip the other shielding her face from the sun. Ben took her picture smiling to himself quickly pretending to check a text as she turned to look at him smiling and waving so this time he actually made it look like he was taking her picture before joining her in reading the information boards.  
‘So we are almost back what else do you have planned?’ she asked,  
‘That’s for me to know and you to find out.’ He said tapping his nose looking at his watch, ‘come on.’ Catherine followed him down a narrow pass her eyes flicking to the muscles in his shoulders now exposed in his rolled up t-shirt sleeves, his trim but defined upper arms and strong forearms as he looped his thumbs through the straps of the rucksack, she let her eyes move down to his bottom seeing although it was small it was pert and she felt her mind straying into different territory. Snapping her eyes back up she shook her head jogging to catch up with him her boots clumping on the hollow surface as they made it back to the car park. As Ben dealt with Rufus Catherine grabbed her handbag making her way to the rustic bathroom slipping inside ridding herself of her nagging full bladder before looking at herself in the mirror.   
‘Jesus.’ She said frowning and dampening some towel rubbing the rest of the green off of her forehead thankful it wasn’t too obvious, she whipped out her brush running it through her tangled hair and redoing her ponytail trying to smooth it as best she could giving up she rummaged around in her bag finding some Vaseline which she smoothed onto her dry lips leaning forward she looked at her completely make up free face and winced, ‘oh well he didn’t run away yet.’ She said tossing it all back in and throwing it over her shoulder taking off her boots before climbing into the passenger seat seeing Ben deposit them in the boot, she wiggled her sock clad feet cursing herself for not bringing shoes and put on her seatbelt,  
‘Ready for surprise number two?’ he asked seeing her beam a smile at him.


	7. Chapter 7

Ben navigated his way into Oxford and Catherine slowed her conversation as she looked around intrigued making him glance across at her,  
‘Interesting.’ she said as he pulled up outside of a hotel stopping the car, he got out handing the keys to a valet and walking to the boot collecting one of his bags letting someone else pile the two small overnight bags onto a trolley and a vanity case on the top, ‘that’s my suitcase.’ She said, ‘and my small overnight bag.’ She added raising an eyebrow,   
‘That’s because you will need to change, and we will be staying here overnight.’ He said, ‘unless as I said earlier you don’t want to stay overnight and I will take you home.’ They walked into the lobby of the Old Bank Hotel. It was understated but glamorous with oversized sofas adorning one side and a bank of lifts the other in gleaming gold, towards the back she could see the entrance to a very posh restaurant and in front of her a sleek and modern dark wood check in desk.  
‘Wow.’ She said the reality of the situation dawning on her, of course he was taking her out for the night, he had paid for the hotel, dinner probably and this was her end of the bargain she had to put out. Her stomach churned over a little as he turned to her,   
‘Your room is just down the hall from mine.’ He said handing her a small envelope containing a key card,   
‘My what?’ she stammered,  
‘Room, your room is 117 mine is 110.’ He said waving his card at her before pocketing it, ‘now I think a shower is in order and then on to the evening’s entertainment.’   
‘My room?’ she repeated as her luggage was whipped away and they walked to the lift walking inside alone as the doors closed,   
‘Why what did you think?’ he asked, Catherine looked at the carpet,  
‘Well I don’t know I mean the walk and the hotel and whatever else you have planned…I thought…it was stupid…’  
‘You thought I expected more than your company for conversation?’ he asked and she shrugged,   
‘You wouldn’t be the first man on the planet.’  
‘In the last two days have I given you a reason to think that I am that sort of man?’ he asked searching her face for answers,  
‘No god no I’m sorry I shouldn’t have said anything.’ She said as the doors opened she made her way quickly down the corridor.  
‘Catherine wait up.’ He said pulling her to a stop, ‘don’t worry about it, look I get why you would think that but I just wanted to explore the city and I thought why not bring you along. Exploring is always better with a friend and you seemed like you could do with a weekend away from work and everything. I mean it if you would rather go home then just say.’ He said honestly holding up his hands.  
‘No I’m good I freaked out a little, are you sure I can’t split the bill or something? At least let me get the first round of drinks this evening.’  
‘If it makes you feel better yes you can get one round of drinks.’ He said smiling; ‘now I don’t know about you but I need a shower.’ He said,  
‘Hang on where’s Rufus?’ she said suddenly spinning round,   
‘They are giving him a nice bath and a comfy bed for the night downstairs and we can pick him up in the morning.’ He said, ‘is that ok?’ he furrowed his brow.  
‘Oh yeah no that’s fine I just wondered that’s all enjoy your shower.’ She said, ‘so I’ll be ready for when? And what do I have to wear?’ she said.  
‘Umm say ready by six and something smart casual, see what your friend has packed you first.’ He smiled opening his door,  
‘See you at six shall I meet you in the lobby?’   
‘Ok see you then.’ He said closing the door behind him before Catherine found her room slipping inside.

The room was spacious and decorated in muted greys, whites and maroons a large double bed dominating the centre of the space, the old lead windows were boxed in by a window seat which looked out onto the view of the city and the university with its towering old buildings rising into the dominating skyline.   
‘Holy shit.’ She breathed turning to take in the old beams in the ceiling the far side of the room adorned with a small coffee table and two leather arm chairs, on the table sat a glass of champagne and a small box of truffles. Her fingers traced the soft bed linen as she sat down pulling off her shoes and her socks placing them to one side she picked up her champagne and her suitcase placing the case on the chair unzipping it. She took out the practical items, her wash bag and a pair of jeans and a couple of t-shirts some vests putting them aside. ‘Jesus Christ.’ She said picking up the scraps of lacy underwear her friend had packed for her she picked out the most comfortable pair in black silk which shaped over her bottom and the matching silky black bra with the minutest bit of padding and placed them on the bed. She looked through the rest discarding the three thongs that she barely wore and picking out a pair of deep purple cotton panties trimmed in dark grey lace and the matching bra and a pair of red pants that had a see-through lace panel for the back and a matching red bra. She pulled out a simple empire line summery pale yellow dress hanging it up smoothing out the creases and added a small white cropped cardigan to the hanger. She looked in the small bag seeing three pairs of shoes, one flat sandal that she could wear for walking around, one pair of black heels and one pair of smart flat tan and cream pumps that she could wear with her dark jeans and a smart top and low and behold her friend had packed the smart cream sleeveless blouse. She hung all her items before unzipping the last bag seeing three dresses, one black, one red and one a deep plum, she laid them all out on the bed taking her wash bag into the bathroom glancing at the time seeing she had two hours. She turned on the taps in the large cream bath set in marble and poured in some bath salts inhaling the lavender smell checking the temperature and leaving it to fill as she took out her toiletries and razor placing them on the edge and walking back to the room stripping off her clothes as she went thankful she had had her legs waxed less than a week ago. Picking up her champagne glass she slipped into the warm bath feeling her tired legs relax, leaning back she sipped her champagne feeling the bubbles work their way into her blood stream instantly relaxing her. 

Benedict munched his way through the third truffle as he toed off his shoes cradling the phone to his ear,   
‘Hey Martin how are you?’ he said,  
‘I’m not bad mate feeling tons better, how about you? I heard you went to the country to visit the folks.’ He said as his kids ran around in the background Archie barking madly at them,   
‘Well I did but they went on a damn cruise, but I couldn’t be arsed to drive all the way back so I am catching up on some sleep, getting some fresh air in my lungs, she’s really nice.’ He said clenching his jaw hoping that he hadn’t noticed,  
‘She’s nice?’ martin asked smiling,  
‘It’s nice, bloody hell did I say she? I think I am either cracking up from lack of proper food or I need more sleep.’ He said hoping he would drop the subject,  
‘So what have you been doing then?’ his friend asked,  
‘Walks in the countryside, household chores, I’m currently visiting Oxford for the evening just for a trip out to have a look around.’ He said pulling his shirt from his suitcase and hanging it up along with his trousers balancing his tie on the top as well.   
‘Doing anything nice with your date?’ martin pushed hearing the eye roll down the phone,  
‘Good god man can’t I get anything wrong, I am having a lovely dinner all by myself an early night and a day of exploring tomorrow.’ He said again as martin made a painful yelp as one of his kids flopped onto him,   
‘Damn mate I am gonna have to go these little terrors are trying to kill me!’ he said making funny faces at his daughter who was now lying on his chest. ‘Grace daddy is on the phone with uncle Ben.’ He said,   
‘Ben!’ the girl repeated grabbing the phone from his hand and talking into the ear piece, ‘uncle Ben.’ She said happily,  
‘Hello Gracie how’s my favourite little girl?’ he cooed,   
‘Good.’ She replied, ‘I went to the zoo today and I saw monkeys and pen-gwens and hippos and lions and they went rawwwwwwwwwwwr.’ She said making Ben smile,  
‘Wow that’s amazing.’ He replied,   
‘Bye Ben.’ She sighed handing the phone back,   
‘Bye bye.’ He replied, ‘I think I better leave you too it.’ He said to Martin,   
‘Yes go and get ready for your date, and if she’s a nice one Ben keep hold of her or your mother will throw a shit fit.’ He chided making his friend chuckle,  
‘Yes dad.’ He teased, ‘get well soon and don’t take any shit from those kids.’ He added exchanging goodbyes and hanging up. Glancing at the time he downed the rest of his champagne and hopped in the shower not wanting to be late. 

Ben tapped his fingers on the edge of one of the leather sofas sipping his soda water and lime glancing at his watch,  
‘Calm down man you are early.’ He said to himself taking a swig wishing he had picked an alcoholic drink instead. Catherine tucked her purse into her handbag checking her reflection in the mirror one more time as she smoothed her dress down rubbing her lips together feeling the gloss spread across them, closing her door she walked the short distance to the lift tapping her foot impatiently seeing the doors open, she went to step inside pausing for a moment too long and the doors closed as her stomach turned over; she realised she wasn’t nervous about what he had planned but that she wanted him to like her, it had been a long time since she had dressed up and spent an evening with a man even as friends and she felt her nerves almost overwhelm her. She pressed the button again and stepped in this time allowing the doors to close and the lift to descend her legs turning to jelly as she walked into the lobby glancing around. Her eyes shifted to Ben as he walked towards her his eyes flicking up and down her body; Ben felt his palms sweat slightly and his mouth go dry as he took in her long legs disappearing under the hem of her bright red dress which clung to her hips and waist before dipping to reveal a little of her cleavage and ended with a mixed halter and strap design at her neck, she had thankfully kept her makeup simple with some dark eye make up and pale lips.   
‘Hi.’ She said quietly, Ben placed his long fingers gently on her upper arm leaning in a little,  
‘You look phenomenal.’ He breathed quietly into her ear,  
‘Really? You don’t think it’s too over the top? I can go and change.’ She offered looking worried,  
‘Why? You look lovely, here let me take that.’ He said slipping his jacket that she was holding over his arm and placing his hand in the middle of her back, ‘shall we?’ he asked,  
‘Sure…you scrub up well as well.’ She said to him seeing him smile the corner of his mouth sneaking up,   
‘I am so glad I decided to pack something smart.’ He admitted as he opened the car door for her allowing her to slip in before taking his seat the other side the car gliding away into the evening. ‘So what things did your friend pack?’ he smiled, ‘because I have to hand it to her, that dress was a good pick.’   
‘She must have dug this out from the back, I haven’t worn this dress for about two years I was amazed it still fit, she gave me this or a black one shoulder thingy which was far to dull, and a plum cocktail dress with a lacy sort of top thing which made me look a bit well old.’ Ben nodded, ‘thanks for the champagne and the room is amazing.’ She added looking out of the window her eyes taking in all the sights.   
‘You’re welcome, I was going to pop here for a day or two anyway and I thought it would be nice to share it and like I said it looked like you could do with some time off.’ He allowed a moment of calm in the car patting his pocket making sure the tickets hadn’t fallen out smiling to himself.


	8. Chapter 8

Catherine snuck a look at Ben’s bottom as he climbed from the car again quickly walking round to open her door, she took his hand tucking hers into his elbow as she looked up at the building they were now in front of,   
‘I thought we would catch a show.’ He said,  
‘I don’t think I have ever been here.’ She mused, ‘but to be fair we didn’t come here too often and my friends and I spent more time in Cheltenham as teenagers and London in my twenties.’ She admitted as he led her to the door,  
‘Now I don’t want you to think you’re overdressed when you see that everyone is wearing jeans.’ He warned her seeing her frown,  
‘Better to be overdressed than under I find nothing worse than turning up to somewhere and finding that everyone is in a dress and you went for jeans.’ Ben nodded and handed his tickets to the usher who ripped off their portion and handed them back. ‘I’m gonna guess this used to be the fire station.’ She lent into him a little more feeling his solid chest support her,  
‘Is it the huge ass sign that makes you think that by chance?’ he laughed his lisp becoming more prominent as he relaxed. As they walked through the huge glass doors into the lobby Catherine let her eyes roam the space taking in all the art installations,   
‘So were here to look at art?’ she asked quizzically,  
‘No well if you want to yes, but there is a festival on and tonight is comedy night.’ He said making a beeline for the bar that had been set up down one side of the large space for tonight, ‘can I get you a drink?’ he asked,  
‘Oh umm ummmm I’m so bad at making on the spot decisions.’ She stammered,  
‘No rush.’ He replied leaning on the bar, Catherine couldn’t help but glance him quickly up and down as he signalled for the bartenders attention, she bit her lip as she saw his thighs being hugged by the tight fabric of his suit trousers and had to yank her eyes away quickly before he almost caught her looking at his crotch. ‘So come to a conclusion?’ he asked,  
‘Gin and tonic please.’ She said hoping he didn’t notice her cheeks flushing slightly, ‘I just need to use the bathroom a minute.’ She said, ‘sorry.’   
‘Don’t worry I think I saw a sign back over there.’ He pointed across the room full of people, ‘we’ve got ages before we go in.’ he added ordering the drinks turning to watch her as she picked her way through the room. She was both confident and self-conscious at the same time smiling a little at everyone who let her past, his eyes roamed her body now that she couldn’t see him and he lavished in the curve of her legs her strong thighs built for walking miles everyday with the dog and standing up for the rest of it, she like him didn’t have the most prominent bottom but he could imagine his hands on it all the same running up the curve of her back to her neck that was long and currently hidden by her hair. He let his thoughts run to how he would kiss her neck how her perfume would smell when her skin was hot underneath him, how her hair would feel in his fingers,  
‘Here you go mate.’ The bartender said from behind him and he smiled turning round paying for his drinks and moving away to look at one of the paintings on the wall. 

Catherine regretted the large glass of water she had downed to try and sober herself up from the champagne on an empty stomach as she waited in line she pulled out her phone finding her friend’s number,  
‘I am going to kill you for what you packed in my suitcase.’ She read, ‘oh and the condoms in the top of my wash bag were a bit of a surprise.’ She added hitting send, what she hadn’t mentioned was that she had stowed a couple of them in her handbag just in case. She quickly got her reply,  
‘Oh come on going on a weekend break away with a handsome man, if I had packed your grey granny pants and some baggy clothes and you got pregnant you would have killed me. I bet he thinks your sex on legs right now and coming up with ways you could use that sort of protection ;).’ Catherine rolled her eyes,  
‘As I told you a million times, I barely met him and he isn’t interested in me like that he said it about five times we’re just friends.’  
‘Is that because that’s what you want to hear? Do you think he’s playing it safe because you keep shutting him down? Come on woman you haven’t had sex for a gazillion years! And may I point out who takes someone away for the weekend as FRIENDS!!! X’   
‘He got separate rooms…:-P.’ she jabbed the send button finally reaching the front of the queue and pocketing the phone made her way into one of the cubicles trying not to audibly sigh when she finally got to pee. As she washed her hands and checked her make up she felt her bag vibrate,  
‘I have sat here for five minutes and I can only come up with the fact that he is a gentleman and therefore wants you to make some kind of signal, or he’s shy and you have to make the first move. X’  
‘I am shit at making the first move, what am I supposed to do? :-S’  
‘Touch him, flirt with him a little but don’t over do it I know how you can be, try not to be too argumentative because you know where that gets you! If all else fails you can just kiss him. Good luck xxx.’ He friend signed off and Catherine took a breath walking back into the lobby trying to come up with a plan to see if he was actually interested. She stopped for a moment finally seeing him looking at some of the art work, just as she went to walk towards him she saw two women approach him and he turned smiling at them engaging in conversation; Catherine watched as he shifted the drinks to one hand and took a pen signing a small book of some sort before having a brief conversation. His eyes flicked up seeing her and giving her a small wave forcing her to walk towards him,  
‘Well nice to meet you both enjoy the evening.’ He said,  
‘Thanks for being amazing in everything you do.’ One said,  
‘Thanks for signing this, you’re the best Sherlock ever, oh god take me away I’m babbling.’ One woman moved the other smoothly away,  
‘Bye Benedict.’ She said and Ben gave a last smile and a wave turning to Catherine, who was watching the whole thing with a smirk on her lips her eyebrows raised,  
‘Wow-wee do you get that a lot?’ she said,  
‘Fans? Yeah not normally outside of London though but it’s the hair.’ He said handing her her drink,  
‘Thanks and I meant the I want to fuck you look.’ She said before covering her mouth realising she had actually said it out loud; ‘oh shit I didn’t mean it to sound like that.’ She grimaced hearing him laugh opening her eyes to see his face screwed up his hand on his stomach,   
‘You are far too observant!’ he said taking a breath in, ‘I try to be polite but I honestly don’t know what people fawn over me for. I think they are in love with the characters I play more than me.’ He shrugged,  
‘Oh I don’t know, I mean given that you look like your characters…obviously…and you are like a nice guy.’ She said,  
‘Good lord that was almost a compliment.’ He teased Catherine poked his shoulder,  
‘Hey I was trying to be nice, I’m not very good at giving compliments.’  
‘Or receiving them.’ He shot back, ‘come on.’ He gestured at people beginning to take their seats. They found their positions in the auditorium noting there were only five rows on all of the three sides with about 10 seats per row,  
‘Wow this is small.’ She said, ‘would you want to act so close to your audience?’ she lent in to whisper, Ben turned his head a little,  
‘Hmm I don’t know. I have done a play in something as small as this but they weren’t on all sides…’ he mused, ‘when you have been stark naked on stage for 15 minutes in front of 1000 people you sort of lose your inhibitions.’ He added,  
‘You always have to bring it back to your penis don’t you?’ she nudged him,  
‘I’m pretty sure you were the last one to mention it.’ He winked as the lights went down seeing her wrinkle her nose at him.   
‘What I meant to say earlier was that you have a nice personality in real life as well as being good on screen so that’s why your fans like you, for you, and the way you look. Not just because of who you play.’ She said finding it easier to talk to him in the dark when his sharp blue eyes couldn’t unnerve her. Ben just smiled feeling her calf brush his leg as she crossed hers focussing on the improv comedy being performed in front of them. 

***

Ben held out Catherine’s coat feeling her arms slip into it pulling it up over her shoulders as she flicked her hair out of the collar and down her back,  
‘Right where to now?’ she said,  
‘So demanding.’ He chided, ‘I thought a bit of a stroll to the restaurant and then some dinner, I hope you like French?’ he asked seeing her nod enthusiastically as they made their way out onto the street and Ben tried to recall the route he had planned earlier. ‘This way.’ He said tucking his hand into hers; Catherine looked down for a moment,  
‘Uh umm Ben.’ She said,  
‘Yep.’ He replied,  
‘You know you are holding my hand right?’ she reminded him and he looked down going to let go but feeling her grip tighten,  
‘God sorry it was I don’t know accidental, habit?’ he said his cheeks going red,  
‘No, no it’s ok. It’s nice…’ She glanced at him giving him a reassuring smile, ‘come on or we will be late.’ She added pulling him along leaning into him a little against the evening breeze that was picking up. Catherine glanced into the shop windows as they passed before stopping dead her hand yanking Ben’s arm pulling him to a stop, he looked at her seeing her frown before walking backwards a few paces looking into the window,  
‘What?’ he asked,  
‘Is that your face?’ she asked leaning forwards peering at one of the books in the window. Ben glanced at the modern copy of “Parade’s End” adorned with his face, ‘oh my god that’s your face!’ she said excited, ‘that’s so cool I loved that book.’ She said, ‘took me about seven months to read it mind.’ She shrugged, ‘why are you on it?’ she asked,  
‘I’m in it…well that is to say I am in the TV adaptation of it.’   
‘When was it on?’ she asked,   
‘Umm god earlier this year some time.’ He shrugged not knowing the exact date, ‘I’m playing Christopher.’ He added,  
‘Really?’ she wrinkled her nose scrunching up her chin looking at him, ‘but he’s supposed to be a chunky monkey and ugly and you are…’ she saw him looking at her with a look in his eyes, ‘not ugly.’ She finished, ‘but that’s just how I had him in my head…I’m sure you were good in it.’ She mumbled,  
‘You’re right.’   
‘Wow that’s modest of you.’ She said sarcastically as they carried on walking,  
‘No you idiot not that I was good in it…which I totally was,’ he joked, ‘that I was chunky when I did it and they made me as ugly as possible. Although when I win an OSCAR let it be known the chins were all my own.’ He said moving his neck back creating four chins making her laugh heartily.   
‘I as your witness will happily repeat that in court.’ She saluted him chuckling a little as they made it to the restaurant. ‘You know if I was your date I would be so impressed right now.’ She teased as he held out her chair. ‘Champagne, chocolates, private car, dinner and a show.’ She added looking around her seeing everyone dressed well thankful she had put the dress on now. Ben shrugged off his cardigan and straitened his tie accepting his menu reading it quickly pursing his lips as he decided what to have, Catherine flicked her eyes to the prices and flicked them back wondering if this really was a date because this was one hell of a restaurant. 

Catherine made a little face as she saw the snails and quickly moved past it,  
‘God it all looks so good.’ She said scanning up and down, ‘what are you going to go for?’ she asked,  
‘Hmm either crab risotto or sardines and then either the duck, rabbit or chicken thing on the left.’ he said,  
‘Good choice, I was gonna go pigeon to start because I haven’t had it for years and then I just cannot decide because they all look so good.’ She said, ‘I shouldn’t go for duck because I had pigeon but then again, hmm.’ She mused,   
‘Wine?’ he asked,  
‘You pick if it’s white it has to be dry.’ She chided him,  
‘Of course, ok I’m torn between Chablis and Prosecco, I fancy some white.’ He said,  
‘Chablis.’ She said to the waiter, who dutifully wrote it down,   
‘You certainly like to call the shots.’ He said and she looked over her menu biting her lip anxiously thinking of her friend’s advice,  
‘Shit I’m sorry I don’t mean to be bossy, I am just bossy.’ She said,  
‘No I like it you don’t pansy around what you really mean; it means I always know where I stand. You would be amazed the amount of people who lie to my face.’ He said,  
‘I wouldn’t, I should probably hold a bit more back if I’m honest. Most people including men run a mile. If it wasn’t bad enough being completely independent, having a degree, owning my own business and house I can also construct IKEA furniture.’ She said seeing him grin,  
‘Thank god I barely end up with the correct size allen key and even then I don’t understand the pictures.’ Catherine giggled, ‘but seriously not all men are intimidated by strong independent women.’ He slid his hand across the table taking hers for a split second as the waiter returned with their wine popping the cork. Ben went through the rigmarole of pretending to taste it before it was poured between two glasses and they placed their order, crab and rabbit for Ben and pigeon and pork belly for Catherine.   
‘Where were we?’ she said,  
‘I was complimenting you and you were finding a way to shoot me down.’ Ben raised an eyebrow at her,  
‘There’s got to be something wrong with you, I am waiting for you to be less nice.’ She said sipping her wine,  
‘Same with you, I am waiting for that veneer to crack.’  
‘What veneer, you’ve seen me get pissed, you have seen me sleep, at work, in my downtime, this is me, with or usually without make up. But you, how do I know you’re not acting, no man is this charming all the time.’ She munched on a breadstick pointing it at him,  
‘Oh I’m sure I do annoying man things like squeeze the toothpaste from the middle of the tube.’ She opened her mouth in mock horror, ‘I can’t build a set of IKEA shelves…umm do you want me to continue putting myself down?’ he asked,  
‘I was rather enjoying it but if you insist you can stop.’ Silence fell as the starter came and they both tucked in Catherine giving him a taste of her pigeon and him her crab clearing their plates before savouring the main course and sharing a chocolate fondue fighting each other for the most chocolate giggling in the process. Ben glanced at his watch seeing it was past eleven and the restaurant was empty,  
‘God we better go I think they want to close up.’ He said signalling for the bill.  
‘What time is it?’ she asked moving his wrist to look at his watch, ‘good god.’ She said as he swiftly punched in his pin number taking back his card and putting down a tip pocketing the receipt before Catherine could even look at it,  
‘So the car will be here in a minute.’ He said,  
‘Please can we stay out a bit longer? You still haven’t actually let me buy you a drink.’ She reminded him.  
‘Ok well that was the last thing I had planned until tomorrow, so now it’s over to you, where do you want to go?’ he asked,  
‘I don’t know a bar or a club, no I’m too old for a club a bar…but I want to dance.’ She said as the car pulled up and he opened the door,  
‘Umm you don’t happen to know a bar with somewhere to dance do you?’ he asked the driver,  
‘Actually I can think of one place.’ The man said,  
‘Would you mind taking us there and then you can go home, I don’t know when we will finish.’ Ben said seeing the man nod pulling away from the curb. Catherine pushed against him,  
‘Thanks I haven’t been dancing in ages I’m so excited.’ She said her legs jiggling up and down in anticipation.


	9. Chapter 9

Catherine jiggled from one foot to the other as they stood in the small queue wiggling to the beat of the music shivering a little and pulling her jacket tighter, Ben slipped his arm around her shoulders sharing some of his heat and jumped a little as she slid her hand onto his chest her head leaning onto his shoulder before relaxing into her. His eyebrows knotted together a little and he smiled to himself as she slid her hand firmly down his chest across his stomach and snuck it round his waist to rest on his back as he shuffled forwards in the queue.   
‘So what is this bar do you think?’ she tried to listen to the music coming from inside,  
‘Apparently it is rated one of the top 5 best cocktail bars in the UK.’ Ben read the sign as they reached the front of the queue,   
‘ID please.’ The man said and Ben raised his eyebrows,  
‘Holy shit that hasn’t happened since I was twenty one.’ He said rummaging in his pocket for his wallet and pulling out his driver’s licence handing it to the man, Catherine opened her bag pushing some make up aside feeling some items fall out, fishing out hers thankful she had thought to put it in at the last minute. The man nodded at both of them handing them back as Catherine giggled,  
‘Bloody hell do you think he was flattering us because by no stretch of the imagination do either of us look under eighteen!’ she said feeling Ben guide her through into the lobby,   
‘Here you dropped these.’ He said handing her back the three small foil condom packets. She turned beetroot red and snatched them back stuffing them in her bag,  
‘I didn’t they’re not mine, well they are mine. My friend put them in my wash bag and oh fuck…’ she gabbled. Ben laughed,  
‘Better safe than sorry.’ He shrugged guiding her towards the crowded bar, ‘here.’ He handed her a menu,  
‘Umm I’ll have…’ she said trying not to get too flustered mentally cursing herself for hastily throwing them in on top.   
‘I knew I shouldn’t have given you a choice.’ He teased winking at her,  
‘Holy shit.’ She said,  
‘Pardon?’ he looked up at her,  
‘Kiss me quick.’ Ben squinted at her a moment, ‘actually no I will have a bramble please.’ Looking up seeing Ben staring at her, ‘what they are all cocktails.’ She feigned innocence pushing past him,  
‘What are you doing I had it in hand woman.’ He said,  
‘Oh please men are rubbish at getting served.’ She said placing her elbows on the bar and leaning forward enhancing her cleavage and darting her eyes to one of the barmen,   
‘Come on that is totally unfair.’ He moaned,  
‘Ssh turn around you’re cock blocking me.’ She hissed, ‘oh and what do you want?’ she said. Ben rolled his eyes leaning backwards onto the bar,   
‘Whiskey single malt, make it a double, ice.’ He said out of the corner of his mouth like it was a conspiracy.   
‘What can I get you?’ the man said in a flirtatious manner, Ben felt a spark of jealously begin within him,  
‘Can I get a bramble cocktail please and a single malt whiskey with ice, oh double please.’ She said flashing him a smile,  
‘Sure.’ He said beginning to make the cocktail,   
‘I’ll get these you go find a table or something.’ She said seeing Ben scan the room, he began to walk towards one of the corners before someone placed a hand on his shoulder,  
‘Mr Cumberbatch?’ a man said,  
‘Uh hello.’ Ben said, ‘can I help?’   
‘Hi I’m Scott the manager this evening, can I offer you a table in our VIP area?’ he asked,  
‘Oh that would be great thanks, if it isn’t too much trouble. I am here with someone; she’s at the bar, the tall woman in the red dress.’ He said pointing at Catherine who was now chatting with the woman next to her at the bar.  
‘Don’t worry we will let her know.’ He said guiding Ben to the far end of the room and up a small staircase,   
‘Can I ask how did you know I was here?’ he said mystified,  
‘Our security guard at the door recognised you and confirmed with your ID.’ He said,  
‘I knew he didn’t think I was eighteen.’ Ben joked taking a seat in the cordoned off area, ‘thanks again.’ He said whipping out his phone firing off a text to James telling him how astounded he was to be allowed into a VIP area; five minutes later Catherine joined him her eyes wide as saucers as she placed the drinks down,  
‘Holy mother of…does this happen often?’ she said aghast as they watched the club below from the balcony they were currently sitting on,  
‘Like almost never.’ He said thanking her and sipping his whiskey looking around seeing the other seating areas were filled with people who looked like they had more money than sense. ‘I think I only got in here because of my name not because of my bank balance, look at the diamonds on that woman.’ He said quietly seeing Catherine flick her eyes across the room.   
‘I bet you earned it fair and square unlike her.’ She said, ‘come on I want to dance.’ She said taking his hand and leading him to the small dance floor beginning to shake her hips, Ben undid his tie tucking it into his pocket undoing a few buttons,   
‘Are you ready for this?’ he said as a classic eighties pop song came on and he began to shake his hips and shoulders in time to the music seeing Catherine laugh joining him dipping and swaying, throwing her hands up in the air as she danced a little closer enjoying herself completely. Catherine placed an arm on his shoulder singing along with the song as Ben moved one hand to her waist bobbing along the sweat already forming at the hollow at the base of his throat, the song came to an end and they sipped their drinks getting straight back out there for the next song a bass heavy pulsating song changing the tone of their dancing completely from fun to flirtatious.  
‘You know you are a really good dancer.’ She said as he moved a little closer, ‘you should learn to salsa you know how to move your hips.’ She noted seeing him smile,  
‘You are awesome at this how long have you been doing lessons?’ he said his hand moving to her hip feeling her hand slide across his chest her hips swaying bumping into his occasionally. She lowered her eyes to his lips as he licked them his curly hair that was pushed back now falling into his eyes, as she looked up she realised how close they had gotten and she was mostly pressed against him their bodies swaying in time to the music, she gripped his shoulder with one hand moving her leg between his her other hand sneaking down to his waist. Ben watched as her eyes met his her pupils dilated in the dark light of the club, her forehead was shining from her exertions and his mind flicked to what she would look like after a different kind of exertional effort, just as he moved his head closer the song came to an end and Catherine straightened up a little,  
‘God I’m thirsty.’ She said, ‘and I must look like a sweaty mess.’ She pulled a face, he wanted to tell her she looked far from it but given the speed she had moved away he doubted very much that she would listen. 

As they sat down Ben realised they had been dancing for almost ninety minutes with little or no break, Catherine pulled open her bag finding a hair tie and pushing her hair back off of her face,  
‘It’s properly curly.’ He said wondering what had possessed him to even say it,   
‘God I know as soon as I sweat or go out in any kind of humidity it goes poof.’ She said smoothing it down a little twisting her pony around her fingers taming it a little; she suddenly let out a yawn, ‘sorry, god I haven’t been up past midnight in forever.’ She said yawning again as their drinks arrived,  
‘Maybe we should finish these and head back, it is almost one.’ He noted,  
‘Jesus we are such old farts.’ She said giggling sipping her cocktail as Ben downed the last of his second whiskey sipping some water, Catherine downed her pint of water and followed him to the exit slipping her hand into his again liking the comfort of it. It had been years since someone had done something as simple as hold her hand and she realised she missed it, missed the company of another man, the cuddles and the tactile nature of the relationship. Ben tried and failed to hail a cab,  
‘You know it’s only a fifteen minute walk don’t you.’ She said looking around,  
‘Really?’ he asked,  
‘Yeah we passed the hotel on the way here, come on.’ She said, ‘as long as you promise to save me from getting mugged.’ Ben crossed his heart,  
‘On my honour I will protect you from all that needs slaying, muggers and dragons and trolls etcetera.’ He said following her lead. They walked mostly in silence this time feeling themselves sober up in the cool air just content to be in each others company, they crossed the lobby of the hotel and Catherine slipped her shoes off padding barefoot feeling her feet throb a little as they stepped into the lift.  
‘Thank you so much for today; I haven’t laughed so much for…well I can’t remember.’ She said, ‘and thank you for dinner.’ She added as he walked her to her door. She fumbled her key card in her hand wondering what to do next, should she make a move, did she want to and what was she going to do next. Catherine knew in her heart it was too soon to take it to the next level with him but she desperately wanted to kiss him; taking a breath she wound her arms around his neck hugging him before leaning back and kissing his cheek softly cupping his face with her other hand, ‘I’m really glad I met you.’ She said sincerely, Ben looked at her for a moment,  
‘Me too. You are something special Catherine.’ He said his voice deep and gravelly and she felt her body thrum with excitement, he ran his hands lightly down her arm reaching the hand that was cupping his face taking it lightly and kissing the palm of her hand, ‘goodnight.’ He whispered quietly before turning away,  
‘Goodnight.’ She stammered watching him back away before turning to leave. She slipped the key in the door letting it close before letting out a squeal and grasping her hand touching her palm to her lips grinning like a love struck teenager before turning and flopping backwards onto the bed feeling her heart beating like a train. Ben made his way to his room feeling his legs finally give out as he collapsed into an armchair,   
‘Thank Christ she actually likes me.’ He said to himself before chuckling rubbing his fingertips down his cheek feeling where her lips had kissed him allowing a moment to let the feeling wash over him before making his way to bed knowing he was going to hardly sleep a wink.


	10. Chapter 10

Catherine rolled over seeing it was quarter to seven,  
‘God damn it, one day for a lie in and I just can’t sleep.’ She moaned rolling her eyes and sitting up. To be fair she had had five and a half solid hours which wasn’t bad for her but she knew she wouldn’t sleep just lying there. Getting up she padded to her suitcase pulling out the only bikini she owned thankful her friend had put it in and grabbing a towel she called down to reception,  
‘Good morning, I was wondering if you could tell me what time the pool opens.’ She asked,  
‘Anytime from seven and it’s completely empty at the moment.’ The man said,  
‘Oh excellent thanks.’ She said putting on some flip flops and grabbing a robe tying it around her body making her way to the lifts and down to the pool dropping her robe on the side and slipping in feeling the cool water clear her slightly fuzzy head. Benedict opened his eyes scanning the room seeing it was just past seven, yawning he sat up looking around he wondered what he would do to pass the time until Catherine woke up. He grabbed his swimming trunks slipping them on before grabbing a towel and slipping on a robe and some shoes making his way down to the pool feeling his mind beginning to whir; he had woken sporadically all night his hands reaching out into the cool sheets gripping the pillows to his body, his breathing broken and short as his dreams became more vivid. He rubbed the back of his neck trying to release some of the tension before crossing the lobby,  
‘Hi is the pool open?’ he asked the receptionist,  
‘Yes, and there is only one other guest in there at the moment so it should be good to swim.’ He said politely,  
‘Thanks.’ Ben said crossing through the doors to the changing area and out the other side dropping his robe onto one of the benches down the side and hanging up his towel before looking out into the pool seeing a woman moving through the water with ease her front crawl almost perfect. He narrowed his eyes as she surfaced at the far end de-misting her goggles before switching to backstroke and moving back down the pool and he smiled to himself as he realised who it was. He slipped in to the far side of the pool feeling the cool water waiting for her to complete her two lengths before she looked up at him stopping instantly and standing up the water coming to just across her waist.   
‘Morning.’ She said snapping her goggles off,  
‘I didn’t think you would be awake.’ Ben said,  
‘I can’t seem to catch a lie in, I suppose my brain is used to waking up this early but my god I needed something to clear my head.’  
‘A little fuzzy?’ Ben chuckled seeing her nod, ‘ditto.’ He replied negating to tell her the reason he had woken up, ‘I won’t interrupt your swim.’ He said pulling on his goggles,   
‘So what time were we due to meet again?’ she said,  
‘Nine for breakfast.’ He said seeing her nod sinking under the water and pushing off the wall. His eyes followed her frame taking a moment to watch her long legs power through the water sneaking a look at her mostly naked body slightly pleased his dreams had been quite close to reality; he shook his head taking a breath and concentrating on his own strokes feeling the blood flow his muscles, his lungs expand and his heart quicken as he swam, sliding through the water with ease. Catherine felt her legs begin to tire and in favour of actually being able to walk for the day she stopped warming down a little before hauling herself from the pool picking up her towel and drying herself before wrapping it around her body watching Ben. Her eyes took in the muscles of his back the way they slid under his skin as he powered through the water, his muscular thighs kicking up and down and her mind wondered what it would be like with those thighs between hers, his back beneath her fingers tensing as she clung to him. She grabbed her robe and wrapped it around her cooling shoulders finding her shoes checking the time seeing she had an hour and quickly made her way to her room before her thoughts could become more obscene; there she showered quickly making sure all her skin was free of chlorine before moisturising staring at the contents of her case as she let it soak in her hands on her naked hips. She looked out the window seeing it was a little overcast and she grabbed her fitted dark blue jeans pulling them on over her plain underwear finding a white bra pulling a camisole over it and finding her cream sleeveless blouse buttoning it up and finding her tan and cream pumps. She looked at her face wondering whether to put some make up on just slicking some mascara on and a dab of concealer knowing that he had seen her make up free before and grabbed her handbag slipping it over her shoulder doing a last check in all the drawers making sure she had packed everything leaving her cases by the door going down to the lobby where Ben was already waiting in a pair of light blue jeans a pair of distressed looking converse, a blue shirt that was dangerously unbuttoned and a salmon and cream striped blazer,  
‘Wow you look…’ she said taking him in,  
‘Eccentric?’ he asked wondering what had possessed him to whip out the blazer when she looked so stylish,  
‘No amazing! I love the blazer it’s so cool.’ She said holding him at arms length,  
‘Ok that’s good thanks you look good too, much more fashion forward than me.’ He lent in kissing her cheek moving away as they heard a bark,  
‘Rufus my darling.’ She bent down making a fuss of him feeling her nuzzle her neck and shoulder before barking in her ear, ‘hello.’ She said taking his lead, ‘was he any trouble?’ she asked,  
‘No he was fine, even got the Chihuahua to behave.’ The man said,  
‘You were a good boy Rufus; you are never that good with me.’ She said standing up seeing Rufus circle around Ben’s legs sniffing him suspiciously again. Ben managed to climb out of the rapidly constricting lead before ruffling his head,   
‘Morning Rufus shall we take your mummy out to explore.’ He said slipping his hand into her free hand leading them both out of the hotel. 

Catherine looked at the stunning scenery along the banks of the river as Ben picked up the basics on punting choosing not to hire a chauffeur so that they would have the time to themselves and so that they could take the whole day to explore the banks of the river and what the city had to offer.  
‘Right off we go then.’ Ben said helping her into the boat seeing Rufus jump in happily,  
‘If you fall in do I get to laugh and then help you?’ she asked as someone pushed them off of the side and Ben was away.  
‘You know I have done this before right.’ He said throwing the pole forwards and letting it sink until it hit the firm river bed pushing them forward and then using it to steer,  
‘Alright mister smarty pants.’ She said,  
‘I didn’t fancy rowing all the way down either this is a little gentler on the arms.’ He noted setting off at a steady pace, ‘now you are the tour guide, you have to tell me what we are looking at and if you want to stop we will.’ He said as Rufus stuck his head under the water.   
‘Okie doke well coming up on the right are the botanical gardens which would be nice to look at on the way back followed by Christ Church College meadows which apparently is where Lewis Carroll taught in the mid nineteenth century and where he wrote the now famous Alice in Wonderland in eighteen sixty five and Alice Through the Looking Glass in eighteen seventy one. I didn’t know there were two I thought they were the same book.’ She mused as she sat back and enjoyed the view the sun occasionally coming out from behind the clouds giving a pleasant but not too hot feel to the day. Benedict soon removed his jacket rolling up his shirt sleeves, ‘ooh wow look at those.’ Catherine pointed at a spectacular rose garden before skimming the pages in the guide.   
‘I think it’s the Magdalen School rose garden.’ He said seeing her nod. He glided gently towards it grabbing the mooring rope and hopping out onto the bank pulling the punt to the side and tying it to a tree before tying the other end to the bank helping Catherine out, ‘fancy a walk?’ he asked,  
‘Definitely.’ She took in the beautiful gardens and surroundings, as they came to the end they reached the botanical gardens. They made their way slowly into the first of seven enormous greenhouses, ‘that is a lot of citrus fruit.’ She noted as Ben looked around, ‘don’t you just love the smell that damp almost heady tropical smell?’ she said seeing him agree,  
‘This one is the alpine greenhouse.’ He said reading the sign following her in,  
‘Are we getting old going around looking at plants?’ she said,  
‘I would say we are mature enough to appreciate them.’ They walked into a greenhouse full of lilies,  
‘Now I could live here…’ she said inhaling the beautiful scents tracing her fingers over the beautiful coloured flowers, before long they were back out in the open and admiring the walled grdens their borderd bursting with colour and fragrance, ‘I wish I had time to make my garden look like this, maybe when I am retired. You know I am jealous of your parent’s garden.’ She sighed as Ben slipped his hand into hers,  
‘I wish I had a bloody garden, I have a roof terrace deck thing and since I broke up with my ex who admittedly did some gardening I now have about three pots with assorted grasses in them and that’s it.’ He said. Catherine paused for a moment it was the second time he had mentioned his ex and she couldn’t really ignore the nagging question any longer,  
‘Do you still miss her?’ she asked wondering why she had picked that opening. Ben thought for a moment,  
‘I suppose I miss what I could have had by now. We had been together for twelve years, my whole twenties and I guess that I regret I don’t know not proposing, not having kids, not being able to keep hold of her.’ He scratched the back of his neck,  
‘How can you blame yourself? Honestly, from what you said before she broke up with you so I doubt it was anything you did. Sometimes it doesn’t work out but I know what you mean, I was with a guy for six and a half years and the one thing I regret was even bothering to get with him in the first place. I know that sounds harsh but I wasted six years of my life being with someone who I knew deep down didn’t really want to be with me and I was too scared to let him go. I think we both realise we could have been married with kids by now and it doesn’t help that our peers are constant reminders of that but we are where we are, our lot is our lot and you can’t lose hope that it will never happen even if you are super famous like you or a workaholic secluded hermit like me.’ She desperately wanted him to stop being hard on himself.   
‘I think it’s because the first time I tried to move on and date someone else I went for the polar opposite, blonde hair blue eyes to dark hair brown eyes and I knew I did it for the wrong reasons and it didn’t work; when that failed it made me more miserable. Then everyone knew who I was and now I can’t tell the difference between people who like me and people who want to sleep with Sherlock Holmes.’ He said feeling tears beginning to well up, ‘shit.’ He mumbled turning away rubbing his eyes. Catherine placed her hand on his shoulder feeling him shrug it away, she wanted to kiss him and tell him that he was beautiful and the loveliest guy she had ever met but she didn’t want him to feel like she was using his emotional state to gain advantage. Instead she hugged him from behind wrapping her arms across his chest burying her nose between his shoulder blades,   
‘Please don’t hate yourself, or your success I know it’s hard but you have to keep believing it will happen.’ She mumbled into his neck. Ben relaxed finally into her arms moving his hands to cover hers,  
‘Ok…alright…I promise.’ He said wiping the dampness from his cheek, ‘fuck I wasn’t supposed to cry.’ He said slightly embarrassed.   
‘If it makes you feel better you can call it hay fever, but only real men cry in my opinion.’ She said finally letting him go as a group of people walked past,  
‘God let’s get back in that boat and head back for some lunch.’ He said turning round leading the way.


	11. Chapter11

As Benedict moored the boat back at the jetty he helped Catherine out grabbing hold of Rufus just in time as he threatened to jump up on a small child who just giggled and poked his head,  
‘He’s cute.’ The boy said as Rufus sniffed him barking once and licking the length of the child’s arm making him laugh,  
‘Rufus come on.’ Ben said turning to Catherine, ‘woman help me, he’s your dog.’ He said as she laughed watching Ben trying not to fall over as Rufus bounded around him playing with the small child,  
‘Good doggy.’ The boy said hugging him,  
‘I’m so sorry.’ Ben said at the child’s mother, who had now come to try and pull her son away,  
‘But mummy! Doggy!’ the boy pouted,  
‘Yes he’s a lovely dog darling but we need to get in the car now.’ She said pulling a face at Ben who just nodded sympathetically at her finally getting control of Rufus and standing up,  
‘Fat lot of use you were.’ He said handing the lead back to Catherine, who wiped the tears from her eyes,  
‘I couldn’t it was so funny, you have no control over him at all.’ She said, ‘and you went down so fast.’ She giggled seeing him lift up his jeans inspecting his knee. Ben just narrowed his eyes at her looking down at his now grazed knee, ‘do you want a tissue?’ she asked, he shoved his trouser leg down and walked on,  
‘No thank you.’ He said stiffly making her smile as he limped a little,  
‘Does it hurt?’ she asked jogging to catch up with him,  
‘Not in the slightest.’ He added sticking his nose in the air making her suppress a laugh as she followed him,   
‘Where are we going?’ she said having to walk fast to keep up as they walked down the local footpaths,   
‘Pub.’ Came his reply as he pushed his sunglasses over his eyes and continued to walk,  
‘Uh oh.’ She mouthed at Rufus who looked at her in a subdued way sticking to her side as they followed him in silence. After fifteen minutes of wondering what she would say to break the tension she found that they had entered out onto a country lane opposite a local pub and after some careful navigation they made it to the front door. ‘Rufus is very sorry for tripping you up, aren’t you Rufus.’ Rufus placed his nose into Ben’s hand softly, ‘and I am sorry for giggling and not taking control of my dog.’ She said seeing his face soften a little,  
‘Apology accepted.’ He said securing a table, ‘I’ll get the drinks and some menus.’ He said wandering inside coming back out with a jug of Pimms and lemonade and two glasses balanced with two menus on top.  
‘Perfect.’ She said rescuing the menus before sipping her drink, ‘hmm you know I think I will just go for the Caesar salad.’  
‘Hmm I’m going to go for the BLT and fries.’ He said going to get up,  
‘I’ll go.’ She said taking his menu and wandering inside ordering the food. Ben seized the moment to look down at his leg seeing that the blood had trickled down it wincing as he unstuck his jeans from the deep cut. ‘Oh bloody hell Ben.’ She said as she saw it, ‘you can’t leave it like that.’ She handed him an alcohol wipe from her bag seeing him clean it up giving him a large plaster,  
‘Thanks.’ He noted,  
‘You shouldn’t have been so stubborn about it.’ She chided him seeing him pull a face drinking his drink.   
‘I thought we would have a look round the university this afternoon take in some of the cathedrals and churches or whatever you want, something a bit cooler?’ he said,  
‘Churches are good then maybe a wander through town?’ she said as the food arrived. 

***

Ben tilted his head back looking at the vaulted ceiling intricately painted,  
‘Just some stunning architecture.’ He said before realising Catherine was no where to be seen, he wandered down towards the altar and round to the side seeing her kneeling her head bowed; momentarily he didn’t know what to do and he approached her slowly his feet silently moving on the floor. Reaching forward he lit a candle placing it in the votive in front of him before kneeling next to her, he didn’t know what to pray about, he hadn’t really been one for it apart from at funerals and maybe the odd Sunday in his younger childhood but he bowed his head anyway. The next time he opened his eyes Catherine was watching him,  
‘I didn’t take you for the religious type.’ She said,   
‘I’m not realty I suppose. I don’t even know what to pray for.’ He admitted wondering why he had even knelt down in the first place.  
‘You don’t have to pray, you don’t even have to believe. I find in churches or any place of worship for that matter, I use it as a time to reflect, take a minute out of this world and to remind myself what I am thankful for and who I appreciate in my life, and then I think about those that I lost and think of the fond memories I have of them.’ She said,  
‘Your mum?’ he said quietly,  
‘Yes my mum, and my grandparents, my friend who died young and I thought about how thankful I am for my success in life albeit not the direction I thought I would go, my friends that keep me grounded and…I thought of you…how I am glad that I walked in on you, that you chose this weekend to come and that I hope after getting to know you and you me that we will stay in touch and hopefully create something lasting, whatever that may be.’ She said quietly. ‘But I will leave you to your reflections.’ She said blushing a little and standing up walking away. Ben closed his eyes letting his mind relax, he thought of his grandmother who had worked so hard to give him the life he now had, how he was thankful for the love and support his parents had given him, always encouraging him to be whatever he wanted. He looked back on his hard earned career and how grateful he was to finally be recognised for something he loved to do; for his family and his friends that kept him sane. Finally he let him mind drift to Catherine smiling as he thought of the way her face lit up every time she did anything, her lust for life and her joy of just being in the moment; her optimism and her candour, her generosity and her kindness towards anyone and everyone. He was glad he had met her and he knew even if they never became more than friends that he would endeavour to retain her friendship always. He opened his eyes taking a breath before getting up making his way back to the centre of the church finding Catherine avidly reading one of the information plaques.   
‘You were right it is a perfect place to evaluate your life.’ He said,  
‘I am going to have to have some coffee soon or my words of wisdom will dry up.’ She said smiling at him,  
‘Thank…uh…goodness I agree.’ He said realising where they were,  
‘Come on.’ She rolled her eyes dragging him back outside into the now brilliant sunshine. 

They avoided the main shopping mall and street adjacent and headed into the back streets strolling hand in hand stopping to peer into the windows of book stores occasionally going in to have a browse and reminisce about what they used to read as children. Catherine peeked into the window of an antique and recycled furniture store before pulling Ben inside,   
‘That is exactly what I need for my hallway.’ She said pointing at an elegant chaise-lounge decorated in black and cream striped silk, ‘I have this gap as you go in. you sort of walk inside into the small enclosed porch which has all of the obvious shoe racks, umbrella stands and then into the main hallway which is quite wide with the stairs up one side and the corner is bare at the moment, it needed something to go under the mirror I found a few months ago and that would be perfect.’ She said trying it out.  
‘Good afternoon can I help?’ a man said rearranging his glasses on the end of his nose.  
‘Yes how much is this? And do you deliver?’ she asked,  
‘This piece is actually one of our more modern pieces it is £160.’ He said,   
‘Do you mind if I have a look around as well?’ she asked,  
‘No by all means go ahead, if there is anything you want specifically just ask.’ He said leaving them too it,  
‘Is that expensive?’ Ben asked,  
‘Nope that’s actually quite cheap.’ She replied bending down and looking at an oak sideboard with an inbuilt wine rack underneath, ‘this would look good in my dining room.’ She added,  
‘Do you have any furniture?’ he asked,  
‘Well yes and no, I have a dining table and some chairs which took me two years to decide on, I like to give recycled unwanted things a home, my house is kind of a mishmash of pieces from my parents house so they tend to be Edwardian and Victorian and then some newer pieces that have been upcycled.’ She said, ‘and the décor is quite minimal so I like to have a standout piece of furniture in each room, for that reason I don’t rush to fill it.’ She said.  
‘Wow that actually sounds kind of cool, I think most of my house is IKEA, mainly because at the time it was cheap and we needed somewhere to sit and sleep.’ He said.  
‘You should redecorate.’ She suggested,   
‘I think I would need some help I am useless.’ He said as she moved on to looking at a deep blanket box come chest pulling it open. She walked back to the man behind the counter,   
‘Right I have made some decisions.’ She said, ‘I will take the chaise-lounge, can I also add in the oak dresser with the wine rack built in please and the chest in the back corner.’ She said,  
‘Certainly.’ he grabbed some labels and went to place them on the items to indicate they were sold. Catherine turned and her mouth dropped,   
‘Oh god it’s perfect!’ she said pushing past Ben, ‘come and look at this.’ She said and Ben made his way to the large sofa framed in deep maroon leather with dark embroidered cross-stitched fabric on the oversized stuffed seat and back cushions with a long foot stool to match.   
‘Wow that is one hell of a sofa do you have room for that?’ he asked,  
‘I do if I move the small two seater sofa I have currently.’ She said, ‘then it would fit down the wall opposite the fireplace and it is just the right colours for my sitting room.’ She mused,  
‘Where are you going to put the two seater sofa?’ he asked,  
‘Hmm don’t know, maybe the conservatory.’ She said looking at the price tag; she checked it seeing it was all in excellent condition not a rip or a thread out of place, ‘now do I spend nine hundred pounds on a sofa?’ she said Ben bit his lip, it was not for him to decide what she should and shouldn’t buy, hell he didn’t even know the state of her bank account.   
‘Excuse me.’ He said to the man, ‘hi we don’t know if this will fit in our lounge and we would need to go and measure can we reserve it and let you know tomorrow?’ he said,  
‘Absolutely.’ The man smiled, ‘no point buying something that doesn’t fit.’ He said going to measure the sofa and writing down the dimensions giving them to Ben,  
‘Here think about it for a day and if you want it then buy it, oh and make sure it fits.’ He handed the card to Catherine, who smiled at him,  
‘Thanks.’ She said going to the counter and giving her address for the delivery of the rest agreeing to Tuesday afternoon before paying the amount she owed, ‘god I think you better take me away before I spend any more money.’ She said grimacing as she pocketed the receipt.

Both of them agreed to a leisurely picnic dinner in one of the local parks and found the nearest deli grabbing a basket,   
‘I will go and get some cheese if you get some meats.’ She said seeing Ben browse the counter as she picked up a local goats cheese, a nice strong cheddar that almost made her eyes water and an in between double Gloucester with chives finding some crackers and a jar of old fashioned onion marmalade stowing them in her basket. Ben slipped the ham and salami into the basket and they picked their bread before selecting some juicy olives and some sundried tomatoes from the salad counter stowing them next to a box of fresh mixed salad leaves. Catherine browsed the drinks selecting some elderflower pressé and adding it to the bill as the woman behind the counter added it up; Catherine slipped her half into Ben’s hand as he paid before picking up the bag and leaving him to bring the bottles. They stopped in a corner shop grabbing some food for Rufus and some bottles of water finding some plastic knives, forks and plates as well as some fruit for dessert and swiftly made their way to the park finding a nice grassy spot in the dappled shade under a tall tree. Catherine whipped off her shirt before lying back leaving just her camisole and Ben took off his shirt rolling up his jeans pulling out the book he had bought earlier as Catherine did the same,  
‘You bought The Wind in the Willows?’ he asked,  
‘Yes it’s my favourite book, listen…The Mole had been working very hard all the morning, spring- cleaning his little home. First with brooms, then with dusters; then on ladders and steps and chairs, with a brush and a pail of whitewash; till he had dust in his throat and eyes, and splashes of whitewash all over his black fur, and an aching back and weary arms. Spring was moving in the air above and in the earth below and around him, penetrating even his dark and lowly little house with its spirit of divine discontent and longing. It was small wonder, then, that he suddenly flung down his brush on the floor, said `Bother!' and `O blow!' and also `Hang spring-cleaning!' and bolted out of the house without even waiting to put on his coat. Something up above was calling him imperiously, and he made for the steep little tunnel which answered in his case to the gravelled carriage-drive owned by animals whose residences are nearer to the sun and air. So he scraped and scratched and scrabbled and scrooged and then he scrooged again and scrabbled and scratched and scraped, working busily with his little paws and muttering to himself, `Up we go! Up we go!' till at last, pop! His snout came out into the sunlight, and he found himself rolling in the warm grass of a great meadow. `This is fine!' he said to himself. `This is better than whitewashing!' The sunshine struck hot on his fur, soft breezes caressed his heated brow, and after the seclusion of the cellarage he had lived in so long the carol of happy birds fell on his dulled hearing almost like a shout. Jumping off all his four legs at once, in the joy of living and the delight of spring without it’s cleaning, he pursued his way across the meadow till he reached the hedge on the further side.’ She said even doing the voices.  
‘You know you did most of that from memory.’ He said propping himself up on both elbows,  
‘Go on then impress me what can you do from memory?’ she asked rolling onto her side and propping herself up on her elbow.  
‘Hmm ok how about this…’ he took a deep breath and began:  
“She walks in beauty, like the night  
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;  
And all that’s best of dark and bright  
Meet in her aspect and her eyes;  
Thus mellowed to that tender light  
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,  
Had half impaired the nameless grace  
Which waves in every raven tress,  
Or softly lightens o’er her face;  
Where thoughts serenely sweet express,  
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek, and o’er that brow,  
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,  
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,  
But tell of days in goodness spent,  
A mind at peace with all below,  
A heart whose love is innocent.”   
He finished his eyes not leaving hers the whole time meaning every word,  
‘Wow.’ She breathed her eyes wide, ‘that’s impressive, and such lovely words.’   
‘Lord Byron.’ He noted,   
‘How many poems do you know off by heart?’ she said still impressed,  
‘Oh a few…’ he mused ‘but you know I wouldn’t want to show you every weapon in my arsenal.’ He said grinning hearing his stomach rumble, ‘come on time for dinner I think and then I suppose we should be heading home.

***

Catherine opened her front porch and the door beyond it allowing Rufus in as Ben collected her case from the car placing it on her front doorstep,  
‘So when do you have to go back to London?’ she asked,  
‘Umm well Martin is better, so filming starts again on Tuesday morning, probably should head back Monday night.’ He said shuffling his feet kicking away some of the dead leaves.  
‘I can’t believe I have only known you three days…’ she shook her head, ‘it feels like forever…in a good way.’   
‘What are you doing tomorrow?’ he asked quickly,  
‘I have to go to work and then in the afternoon I am free.’ She said,  
‘Come and pick me up when you take Rufus for a walk?’ he asked trying not to sound too desperate.  
‘Definitely.’ She said, ‘about four.’ Ben nodded moving his car keys around his fingers not wanting to leave but knowing she wasn’t going to invite him in.   
‘I suppose I better let you get some sleep.’ He said leaning in and placing a soft kiss on her cheek, ‘see you tomorrow.’ He said forcing himself to walk away before he pushed her further chiding himself that they had only known each other three days.  
‘Goodnight Ben.’ Catherine said watching him leave before closing the door behind him and retiring to bed.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good lord I am so sorry about how long it has taken to update I have had this written in a pad for ages and I am rubbish at typing up but here we go. Apologies for spelling mistakes.
> 
> WARNING: seeing as this story is rated GENERAL this chapter is for MATURE readers, you have been warned, if you don't want to read it avoid :D

Alice nudged Catherine as she rolled out some pastry,  
‘So how did the weekend go?’ she asked,  
‘Yeah did you two get it on?’ Kerry nudged her,  
‘No we didn’t sorry to disappoint you all, and you miss packing my bag for a hen weekend, lacy underwear and condoms everywhere.’ Catherine hissed egg washing her pastries.  
‘Yeah I thought you would appreciate the little nudge, not my fault you are a total prude. Did you at least kiss?’   
‘Stop teasing the poor girl, you youngsters always so keen to move so fast.’ Alice said,  
‘People get back to work will you.’ Catherine said rolling her eyes putting her pastries in the oven. The day went particularly fast and before she knew it Alice was telling her to escape for the day,   
‘Get out of here and go and see that man you have been thinking about all day.’ She said quietly seeing Catherine grin, ‘and sweetie you need to show him how you feel about him before he disappears back to London and his glitzy lifestyle.’ She hinted to her gently.   
‘You’re right.’ She said hugging her. Catherine tore through her front door kicking off her sandals and digging out her trainers pulling them on grabbing Rufus’s lead,  
‘Come on Rufus.’ She called cheerily clipping it onto his collar racing back out of the door. ‘Good boy, shall we go and pay Ben a visit?’ she cooed setting off at a phenomenally fast pace. As she approached the house her mood fell a little as she saw everything locked up and his car gone, peeking through the window she saw that the place was now tidy and every trace of him had gone. She sat down with a thump, ‘I think he’s gone…’ she said bringing her knees up to her chest sighing, ‘stupid idiot for thinking he would like you more than the supermodels and actresses that fawn over him.’ She said feeling the tears prick her eyes. ‘Stupid girl!’   
‘Who’s stupid?’ he asked making her jump.  
‘You’re here?’ she said wiping her eyes,  
‘Uh yes…are you ok?’ he asked concerned opening the front door,  
‘Huh?’ she asked sniffing, ‘oh yes I’m fine.’ She waved her hand dismissively, ‘shall we?’ she said,  
‘Yep give me a minute.’ He said putting his shopping away and darting back out locking up behind himself. ‘Are you sure you’re ok? You were crying.’   
‘I thought you had left.’ she blurted out,  
‘You were crying because you thought I had left?’ he scoffed not quite believing her,  
‘Well don’t flatter yourself but you know…without saying goodbye…after you said you wanted to see me.’ She sniffed.  
‘You silly woman.’ He chided her softly,  
‘Blame my hormones.’ She shrugged,  
‘Although it is kind of sweet.’ He mused as they walked across some open fields slipping between some hedgerows to trail along the edge of a river.   
‘Tag.’ She said poking his arm and sprinting off towards the bottom of the hill.   
‘Oh no you don’t.’ Ben shouted chasing after her. He just about caught her grabbing her waist and pulling her down flipping his body round so that he landed on his back cradling her to his front as they hit the ground with a thump. ‘I believe that would be tag you’re it.’ He chuckled feeling her turn over in his arms bracing herself up on her hands as Ben held her still.  
‘I could tickle you so badly right now…’ she breathed. Ben spread his hands out either side of his body,  
‘Be my guest.’ He grinned wickedly Catherine matched his smile leaning back on her calves her bum rocking back against his groin. She moved her fingers to the angle of his jaw gently tickling him before running her nail down his neck in a feather light touch. Ben shook his head as she thought for a moment moving her hands down across his chest and out across his ribs tickling the lower few on each side seeing him relax back shaking his head again. Catherine yanked up his shirt wiggling her fingers into the hair below his navel making him shake his head again closing his eyes. Smirking she lent forwards bracing herself on her arms her hair falling forwards landing on his nose making him twitch it from side to side. Catherine licked her lips feeling her heart beginning to pound, she could be about to make a big mistake. Moving her head up she pursed her lips blowing gently across his forehead, his eyelids and cheek bones seeing him smile a little; she carried on across his chin before tilting her head blowing down the side of his neck and back up finishing behind his ear hearing him chuckle his hand moving to scratch his neck.  
‘I suppose I win.’ She whispered in his ear.  
‘I suppose you do.’ He said his voice as thick as treacle,  
‘So I get to claim my prize?’ she asked seeing his eyes flick open looking at her.   
‘Of course take what you want.’ Ben said his hands sliding up her thighs to her hips. Catherine flicked her eyes down to where his hands gripped her skin and she ran her hand up his chest across his neck, chin and cheek running her thumb across his lips before replacing them with her lips. 

Catherine kissed his lips softly at first, even the feel of his closed lips made her head spin; she felt him pull her lower body closer reflexively his fingers tightening into the soft curves of her hips. Opening her eyes she saw his had closed and she slipped her fingers into his hair tugging on it gently hearing him moan in his chest as she relished in the softness of his curls before kissing him again firmer this time. Ben parted his lips a little allowing her bottom lip better access to his mouth, a few moments later and her tongue flicked onto his lip; he felt the breath he had been holding in his chest escape though his nose as he hummed a low moan and her tongue sought entrance into his mouth. Catherine felt the heat rise in her body as their tongues met her hand digging into his chest as her hips lowered into his feeling his back arch to meet her,  
‘Ben…Benedict…’ she moaned softly as she felt areas of her body that had laid dormant for a long time come to life. Ben obliged her by taking charge rolling her onto her back before leaning back looking her up and down taking in her now wild hair and lustful eyes her vest pulled out of shape and her shorts beginning to slide down her hips; she smirked as she reached up pulling both sides of his shirt the poppers flying open exposing his pale chest. Using the shirt she pulled him down her lips once again claiming his; Ben instinctively moved her legs so that they were around his waist resting his body weight on her his lips trailing down her neck and collar bone   
‘We are in a field…’ she mumbled hearing him chuckle,  
‘Do you want me to stop?’ he asked allowing her to push his shirt off,  
‘God no.’ she replied feeling him begin to harden as he ground against her turning her on even more as he hit her sensitive flesh through the cotton of her clothes. She was amazed at how her body was responding to his touch, ‘I feel like a teenager.’ She giggled as she grabbed at his ass pulling him closer feeling his erection strain against his shorts as she became slick beneath him; he unhooked the button of her shorts sliding the zip down before brushing his fingers across the front of the soft cotton making her curse herself for not wearing sexier underwear.   
‘Do you know how many times I have dreamt about this?’ He breathed kissing a trail between her breasts pulling her vest up exposing her stomach to his lips, ‘I want to taste you.’ Catherine opened her eyes sitting up pushing him back.  
‘Fuck.’ She whispered and Ben looked worried.  
‘Too much?’ he asked quickly looking up from where he had stopped kissing her moving as she sat up in his lap.   
‘No I…I’m on…’   
‘Form? Fire?’ he asked confused,  
‘Period.’ She explained and his worry disappeared, ‘shit I’m sorry you think I’m a tease now…’ she looked away; Ben moved her face back,  
‘Yes you are a tease but these things happen, although I might need a moment.’ He raised an eyebrow indicating what she was sitting on. She smiled wickedly,   
‘Why don’t we go for a swim?’ she said nodding her head towards the small lake.   
‘After you.’ He said seeing her get up shedding her shorts and vest kicking off her shoes and walking towards the lake, she unhooked her bra tossing it over her shoulder and jumping in surfacing a few moments later, Ben took his opportunity to rid himself of all but his underwear jumping in after her. Looking around her noted that they weren’t in their usual spot.  
‘Hang on where are we?’ he asked spinning around trying to place where they were.   
‘My old house…well sort of…’ she said, ‘I used to swim in this lake as a kid, well the whole of the village did.’ She explained.   
‘Hang on you lost me then I thought Kate Moss owned this house.’ He said as they gently paddled down the cool water.   
‘Well you know when I said my dad wasn’t posh enough and that I stole some Edwardian furniture from my old house, well this is…was my old house. Our family own the estate, but she wanted it and she was stupid enough to sign our contract that said she could rent it as long as she maintained the estate, made no additions or repairs to the buildings without planning from us and kept the original ground men and housekeepers, that way we get to know what she is doing. I didn’t want to potter around there on my own and it costs a fortune in upkeep so if she was dumb enough to say yes I wasn’t going to stop her. I tell you, you nouveau riche more money than sense.’ She teased, ‘so in theory this is still my lake, my house in fact.’   
‘So you’re like upper class titled landed gentry and fuck off rich and you didn’t mention it?’ he said,  
‘Just like you didn’t mention your £3 million house, trail of female fans, designer wardrobe and famous friends. You didn’t know who I was it was refreshing to just be bakery girl.’ Ben couldn’t fault her for that,  
‘You’re right it was nice to get on with someone because of my personality, you weren’t lying about you know…knowing me?’ he asked concerned,  
‘Oh Christ no genuinely no clue.’ She said grinning, ‘sorry I ruined the mood I guess.’ She began to swim away from him a little. Ben followed her tugging her ankle forcing her round,  
‘You didn’t…’ he replied gazing into her eyes for a moment, ‘hmm I wonder if you have eels in here…or pike, I bet there’s pike in here.’ He said looking around seeing her eye the water suspiciously.   
‘Aren’t pike the carnivorous ones?’ she said turning around looking out into the water, Ben pinched the side of her thigh, ‘shit.’ She squeaked kicking her legs a bit harder feeling another nip to her other thigh making her spin round holding on to Ben’s shoulder moving closer to him moving her legs around his waist her hands on his shoulders. Ben nipped at her lower back   
‘You alright?’ he asked,  
‘That better be you.’ She said,  
‘Me what?’ he asked his face straight and innocent, he pinched her bum this time feeling her climb a little higher, Ben felt the corners of his mouth twitch up breaking into a smile as he suppressed a giggle badly stopping as she splashed his head.  
‘You little shit!’ she stuck her tongue out pushing his head underwater seeing him still smiling as he surfaced, ‘I fucking knew it was you.’ She dunked him again as he surfaced he ran his hands down her back pulling her close enough for her bare breasts to press against his chest   
‘All part of a wider game plan.’ He said reaching up to her neck and pulling her lips to his in a deep passionate kiss. Catherine instinctively moved her legs back round his waist gripping his shoulders knowing she couldn’t stand up, she let her head tilt back breaking the kiss as he began to move against her, his lips immediately moving to her neck making her gasp in pleasure,  
‘Oh Jesus.’ She mumbled, ‘we were supposed to be cooling off…’ she moaned feeling his smiling mouth kiss her neck,  
‘Don’t care.’ Ben murmured into her skin one hand sliding across her ribs cupping her breast flicking his thumb onto her nipple making her arch her back into his hand as she felt his erection grow against her thigh. She slipped her hand down his chest and stomach before palming him through the now wet cotton material causing him to hiss his head dropping forwards onto her shoulder his lips kissing it gently.   
‘I will drown if you keep doing that.’ He said looking up at her seeing her wicked smile, Catherine pressed harder massaging him feeling his legs stop kicking and his body start to sink. She tightened her legs around him and used a free hand to pull them closer to the shallows until she felt her foot hit solid ground. She gave him seconds to recover before she reached down with both hands pushing his underwear down around his thighs freeing his member to her eager fingers, ‘hmmm god…’ Ben hummed low in his throat as the wet water provided perfect lubrication as she teased him with her hand,   
‘Still want me to stop?’ she whispered into his ear,  
‘I might kill you…’ he said through clenched teeth. Moments later his grip on her bottom tightened his nails biting into the fabric of her panties as his warm fluid leaked into her palm, ‘fuck.’ He groaned loudly making her smile.  
‘I have been wondering what that face would look like…now I know…’ she grinned wider seeing him lick his dry lips dipping his head under the water for a moment letting go of her hips to smooth back his hair wiping his now burning hot cheeks. Catherine turned beginning to move to the jetty that stuck out into the centre of the lake a diving board perched on the end  
‘Where do you think you’re going?’ he asked pulling her back until she hit his body. She looked down as his hand snaked it’s way up her stomach lazily gripping her breast.  
‘But…’  
‘You thought that once I had mine I would be done? Far from it.’ He said,  
‘But I’m…’  
‘Still capable of falling apart in my hands.’ He said into her ear his lips beginning to kiss down the side of her neck and shoulder nipping the skin lightly until she was pushing back against him.  
‘God…oh god Ben…’ she moaned as he gripped her breast again his long fingers splaying out across it pinching her skin lightly, ‘Benedict.’ She moaned pushing her chest forwards spurring him on making him pinch her sensitive skin harder.  
‘I get the feeling you like playing dirty.’ He whispered biting her neck a little harder making her whimper, ‘are you filthy…I can’t wait to see how naughty you are in bed.’ He said moving his hand inside her panties finding her clitoris and sticking to it knowing that if he strayed further from her already slick nub that he would shatter the mood, just thankful of her choice of hygiene product. He had only ever done this once before but he knew what worked and what didn’t. Catherine sank into his palm moving her hips in opposition to his fingers, ‘hmm I bet you like to be spanked.’ He breathed and Catherine mewled at him her eyes closing, ‘you’re imagining it right now aren’t you you bad girl..’ he dug his nails into her thigh a little feeling her back arch as she reached her peak. Ben barely managed to catch her from slipping under the water as she came her stomach contracting as she cried out, ‘look at me.’ He commanded stilling his fingers for a moment pulling her chin round with his free hand running his fingers down her long neck before claiming her lips in a hot wet kiss. He flicked his fingers over her once more taking her by surprise as she moaned her second orgasm into his mouth biting down on his lower lip. 

Their kiss broke quickly as they heard someone walking through the woods and they swam to the jetty looking around hiding behind it as the man walked past,   
‘Come on we better get out.’ He said climbing up the small ladder and helping her out seeing her fold her arms across her chest, ‘self-conscious?’ he asked bemused,  
‘Only when strangers could walk past and see my tits.’ She said picking up her vest and pulling it on stretching out on the grass waiting for her skin to dry seeing Ben just flop down, ‘so…is this going to be awkward now?’ she asked and Ben propped himself up,  
‘Why should it be?’ he asked,  
‘Well because you are going back to work and I am staying here.’  
‘And you live about three minutes from my parents and we live less than 2 hours apart.’ He said,  
‘Fuck.’ Catherine said feeling her tears beginning, ‘not now…’ she wiped one away.  
‘I’m sorry that was harsh.’ He said trying to comfort her,  
‘No!’ she said a little to firmly, ‘no I knew this would happen and I am stupid, look lets just take this for what it was at face value, a little weekend thing, fling, getting what we both needed. We are two adults we can you know be mature about this.’ She said seeing his eyes watching her,  
‘You’re right. But I don’t want to stop being your friend.’ He said, ‘please tell me you’ll call.’   
‘Of course, sorry for being a bit of a wet blouse then.’ She said, ‘and I did you know enjoy myself…’   
‘Oh I know.’ He said wiggling his eyebrows feeling her fist collide with his shoulder,  
‘Cocky.’ She said and the tension was once again broken. Ben heard his phone ring and he scooped it up,   
‘Hey Mark.’ He said apologising silently, ‘oh really right, well that’s excellent news so glad he’s better and fighting fit.’ Ben said and Catherine just looked on, ‘no no of course I can, what time?’ he asked, ‘wow that’s early, no yeah I know we have a lot to do, ok sure well let me sort some things and I will give you a call later.’ He hung up,  
‘And there goes the bubble.’ She said, ‘back to work?’ she asked seeing him nod, ‘hey it’s not like we didn’t know this would happen.’ She added, ‘and good news that your friend is better.’   
‘I have to leave tonight.’ He said pulling his t-shirt back on as the sun went in, ‘we start at seven tomorrow morning.’ He sighed,   
‘Ugh I hate early mornings.’ She joked, ‘hey come on I just promised I’d call.’ She said trying to cheer him up,  
‘I was going to cook you dinner.’ He said,  
‘Well what time do you have to leave?’ she asked,   
‘Well I have three or four long scenes to learn so in the next few hours.’ Catherine looked at her watch,  
‘It’s almost dinner time, how about we cook together makes it quicker and I can keep you company when you pack, early dinner is fine and you won’t be starving on the drive back.’ She suggested,  
‘You’re right, I need to stop moping…come on.’ He said getting up and helping her up getting Rufus and making his way back up the field.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This might be the last chapter until I come back from my holiday, so enjoy, I might get one up before Friday but if not I will see you all post Florida :D

Catherine flopped down on Ben’s bed gazing around his room decorated in pastel shades and adorned with stuffed owls, apparently his mother’s obsession not his, although he thought they were cute, as Rufus sniffed at every drawer and Ben collected his clothes that had scattered themselves into every far reaching corner,  
‘I can never decide what to leave here in case I come for a spontaneous night.’ He said stuffing some underwear back into a drawer closing it tossing the rest in his case before adding his clean clothes and tossing his laundry into a plastic bag shoving it in on top.  
‘Depends on how often you plan on coming back?’ she said twiddling the end of her almost dry hair,  
‘Aww are you saying you’ll miss me?’ he said fluttering his eyelashes,  
‘I’m not an abandoned child at boarding school mister besides I have Rufus and a business to set up; I won’t have time to miss you.’ She said half in sarcasm but half so that she didn’t feel so hurt. Ben flopped down on the bed pulling her to him tickling her sides making her laugh,  
‘Oh come on I’m sure there’s something you will miss about me? My charisma?’ he kissed her neck, ‘my awful cooking?’ he kissed her cheeks, ‘hmm my…’   
‘Benedict Cumberbatch!’ she pouted as he rolled her over grabbing her ass and kissing down her chest,  
‘You summoned me?’ he said moving back so that his face was level his hair now ruffled and fluffy from where it had dried. He kissed her lips quickly cupping her face tilting her head as her hands ran across his body as if they had never touched him before, Catherine flicked her tongue lazily against his lips and she didn’t have to wait long before his tongue moved out to meet hers his hands roaming her waist and hips as he rolled back over his body resting on hers sending his suitcase flying onto the floor.  
‘Buggar.’ She said into his mouth as she gripped the edge of the bed to stop herself falling off and Ben reached down pulling her body back onto the bed hearing the clock hoot downstairs as it reached an hour, ‘shit Ben…’ she mumbled trying to stop him but giving in and kissing him again feeling the contours of his chest and legs on her body was making her forget anything outside the two of them existed,  
‘Hmm?’ he mumbled as she kissed his cheek, chin and neck biting down on it leaving a mark,   
‘Dinner…’ she said,   
‘Not hungry.’ He murmured as she squeezed his bum nipping at his collar bone,   
‘Burning…’ she said into his ear as he gripped her thigh making her groan.  
‘Shit.’ He said coming to his senses, ‘shit!’ he knelt back moving off of the bed and to the door running down the stairs. Catherine could hear a few more choice swear words and the oven door banging, smiling she stood up picking up the contents of Ben’s case and placing them back in before venturing downstairs.  
‘Everything ok?’ she said moving in behind him wrapping her hands around his waist as he turned to look at her,   
‘Well it is going to be Tuscan chicken with very chargrilled vegetables.’ He said and she peeked down,   
‘Oh they aren’t that bad.’ Catherine kissed the back of his neck feeling the curls of his hair tickle his nose as she gently rubbed circles over his belly, ‘come on I’m starving.’ She said moving away and grabbing two plates and some knives and forks placing them down on the table and finding two glasses filling them with water. Ben placed the dish on the centre of the table finding a spoon and dishing out their dinner,   
‘So I will call you when I get back tonight.’ He said as they ate almost in silence,  
‘Ok.’  
‘What are you going to do with your day off tomorrow?’ he asked,  
‘Umm I don’t know, I have a meeting with my accountant and my friend who is helping me run this new business in the morning and then I have to feed the fish and make sure a handsome younger brother of yours hasn’t broken in and is walking around naked.’ She teased,  
‘Hey! Enough of your cheek missy.’ He countered pointing his fork at her smiling.   
‘I guess you will be working most of the day?’ she asked,   
‘It does seem so; I think Mark hinted at at least twelve hours.’ He rolled his eyes,  
‘The ways people suffer for art.’ She sighed dramatically earning herself another look. The rest of the dinner consisted of them just sitting in pleasant silence before they finished and Catherine cleared up and Ben finished packing bringing his case down and putting it in the car,  
‘I suppose I better be off.’ He said checking his watch seeing it was already six,  
‘Yeah it’s getting late…’ she said locking the door behind her following him to the car. ‘So look if it’s late when you get back and you need to work don’t worry about calling, just text me and tell me you made it back safe.’ She said,  
‘Ok well we’ll see.’ He rubbed the back of his neck,   
‘Jesus this sucks balls doesn’t it?’ she said rhetorically and Ben smiled tensely.  
‘I just get this horrible feeling that I don’t know you won’t call me, or I won’t see you again.’ He said,  
‘Ben I promise you that I will stay in touch, and I don’t break my promises but right now we have lives that we need to get back to.’ She said,  
‘I know.’ He said opening his car door leaning in he hugged her kissing her cheek softly, ‘I will…miss you…’ he said hoping it wasn’t too much to say,  
‘I will miss you too.’ She kissed his lips softly, ‘let me know when you’re home and good luck with those scenes tomorrow.’ She said bundling him into the car knowing otherwise he wouldn’t leave and one of them had to be pragmatic about the situation,   
‘Good luck with your meeting, goodbye.’ He said closing the door and starting the engine,  
‘Bye…’ Catherine said holding on to Rufus as he pulled away and she waved him off only letting her smile fall when he was out of sight, ‘come on Rufus back to real life.’ She said trudging up the road back to her house. 

***

Ben parked his car making his way into his empty house tossing his case down by the washing machine and shoving in his dirty clothes taking the case upstairs and lobbing it into a corner pulling on a pair of sweatpants and a loose t-shirt picking up the past two weeks of washing padding downstairs and stuffed half of it in the washing machine turning it on and picking up his script thumbing it feeling the anxiety swirl in his stomach as he tried to think how he was going to learn them in time. Making himself some coffee he knew it would be a long night and he settled in opening the script trying his hardest to store the lines in his head. The next time he looked up his coffee had gone stone cold and it was past midnight the washing long since finished, he rubbed his eyes running his hands though his hair trying to say his lines out loud remembering about half of them his phone beeped at him as it indicated it’s failing battery.  
‘Bollocks.’ He said finding his phone charger plugging it in before it died opening it up seeing he had three messages.  
“Hi Ben, I will pick you up at six tomorrow morning, Ems xx.” He set his alarm for five thirty,  
“Hello umm hope you got back safe I’m gonna guess you did, you must be busy so I’ll call you later. Cathy.” Ben bit his lip seeing a missed call at eleven,  
“So I’m off to bed just text me when you get this, sorry if I sound needy, I’m not being needy. Well goodnight I hope I have a text from you in the morning. X” Ben sighed looking at the time his hand hovering over the call button,  
‘You can’t call her now.’ He said to himself diverting to text and sending her a quick message before heading up to bed with his script in one hand his phone in the other, brushing his teeth he settled back picking up the script again ignoring it was now past one. The next thing he knew his alarm was blaring and him and he struggled to locate his phone in the bed beneath him, finally he turned it off rolling over groaning, ‘fuck me.’ He said seeing it was half past five in the morning knowing he had probably only had four hours sleep at best. Ben dragged himself from his bed jumped in the shower barely staying awake as he stood; padded downstairs on autopilot and made some coffee in a travel mug, just as he sat down to close his eyes for a moment he heard his front door open and Emily walk in,   
‘Morning…oh…god you look like shit what time did you get to sleep last night?’ she said tossing a coat at him now that the weather had a decided chill and heaved him up,  
‘More like something past one this morning.’ He mumbled as she bundled him into the car grabbing his script, a banana and his iPad shoving it in his messenger bag tossing it in after him as she set off. 

Catherine rolled over as Rufus nuzzled her hand,  
‘Just one day, let me sleep for one day.’ She breathed into her pillow before opening her eyes seeing it was already seven, ‘oh you did, good boy.’ She added not realising quite how tired she must have been. Checking her phone she saw that thankfully Ben had replied at some stupid time in the morning, ‘oh Ben you really should have been sleeping.’ She said out loud nipping to the bathroom when she came back she saw her phone flashing at her and she picked it up seeing her missed call,   
‘Hello?’ a voice said on the other end,  
‘Oh umm hello, Ben just tried to call me I missed it…’ Catherine said to the woman,  
‘Oh uh hang on a second he’s just rehearsing.’ Emily said wondering who would be calling him this early,  
‘Gosh sorry look don’t worry I will give him a call later I don’t want to interrupt him at work.’ She said,   
‘Can I at least take a message?’ Emily asked,  
‘No not really just tell him that Catherine called and that I will call him later after I have checked on the house.’ She said,  
‘House?’ Emily said confused, ‘oh are you checking on gran’s house?’   
‘Yeah that’s me, so umm yeah just tell him not to worry.’ She said hanging up rolling her eyes at her awkwardness. Getting up she walked up into town browsing around and picking up a few items before walking past her local audio visual store walking inside and making her way down the aisles smiling as she picked up a box set of Sherlock DVD’s flipping it over and reading the back making an impressed face tucking it under her arm and making her way down the small selection seeing Ben’s face looking up at her again this time the same picture as she had seen on a book a few days earlier. ‘Hmm…’ she said picking it up and reading the back tucking it under her arm picking up a few other films and walking to the counter,  
‘Morning.’ The woman said scanning her items,  
‘Hi.’ Catherine replied digging out her card,   
‘Ooh I love this series it’s very good, have you seen it?’ she asked packing her Sherlock DVD.  
‘I haven’t but a friend recommended it so I thought I would give it a whirl and I’m a sucker for a costume drama.’ She said punching in her pin number and taking her bag,  
‘Hope you enjoy them.’   
‘I’m sure I will bye.’ Catherine said making her way home feeling the cool air begin to sweep in from the north, grabbing a bowl she tipped out her crisps into it finding a blanket and putting in the first disc pressing play and settling back.


	14. Chapter 14

Benedict had moped around for two days now and it was beginning to affect his work. He slapped down his script on his coffee table and let out a sigh,  
‘You can’t call her she’s at work…you should be working.’ He said to himself rolling his eyes before hearing his phone ring, ‘yes.’ He said curtly without looking at the caller ID.  
‘Oh sorry are you at work? I’ll call you later?’ Catherine said and Ben kicked himself,  
‘No! No I’m not, sorry.’ He apologised for sounding so keen and for being rude. ‘I was going to call you but I thought you would be at work.’ He checked his watch,  
‘I should be but I am trying to fit a hulking great sofa into my lounge.’ She said grunting a little as she shoved a cabinet aside,  
‘Did you even bother to measure it before you bought it?’ he questioned,  
‘Of course I did.’ She huffed, ‘I’m sure he gave me the wrong measurements.’ She added making Ben smile wider,  
‘I’m dying to know how many inches out?’  
‘None!’ she confessed, ‘well not now anyway.’ Ben said nothing, ‘so what if I had to move everything else in the room…you were supposed to be here to help me.’  
‘I never promised that…’ he pointed out, ‘anyway you called me to tell me off for not pre-empting the sofa was the wrong size or did you want me for something else?’ Catherine took a deep breath,  
‘Do you have a spare room?’ she said quickly  
‘Of course I do why?’ he said,  
‘Can I borrow it?’ she questioned, ‘on Saturday.’   
‘Umm yes what for?’  
‘To sleep in of course oh and maybe Friday and Sunday?’ she sounded hopeful.  
‘As long as you lie and say the main reason you are coming is to see me and not to use me as a hostel yes.’   
‘Well that’s not strictly true I am coming up to source some things and to meet an old friend…to discuss business plans.’ She finished not wanting him to get the wrong idea, ‘and to see you and because I am cheapskate.’ Ben sucked the air in through his teeth,  
‘Hmm since you propositioned me so nicely of course you can stay if you let me know when you are going to arrive I will get Emily to come and let you in on Friday because sod’s law I will be at work.’ He said,  
‘Excellent well I will finish work here and then drive up around two gonna try and miss the traffic so should be there around four, four thirty.’ She said hearing her phone beep at her as he sent her an email with directions to his house and his address. ‘Wow that was prompt.’ She said,   
‘I had my iPad on my lap.’ He explained  
‘God I barely open my dusty laptop I really am rubbish it’s amazing I run a business but so much is still done using paper, pen and a phone. The only way I know if someone emails is if my phone pings and even then I don’t usually answer – god listen to me jabbering on – I better let you go and revise and I will go back to putting my back out.’ She heard him laugh, ‘it’s no joke I’m no spring chicken anymore.’ Making him laugh harder.  
‘I will see you Friday.’ He said hanging up returning to work with a new vigour. 

***

Catherine parked her car neatly on Ben’s drive seeing a blonde woman standing in his porch sheltering from the deluge, she dashed across to join her,  
‘Catherine?’ Emily asked,  
‘That’s me.’ She said shaking her hand, ‘you must be Emily, nice to meet you Ben has told me lots about you.’ The woman smiled warily and nodded,  
‘So these are the keys. The alarm code is 7125 and it’s under the stairs in the cupboard.’ She said, ‘the guest room is on the first floor next to the main bathroom.’ She said,  
‘Thanks for coming to let me in.’ she said seeing the woman stub out the remains of her cigarette.  
‘It’s alright. I’ve got to dash but I’m sure I’ll see you again.’ She finished dashing back to the car and driving away. Catherine opened the door remembering to switch off the alarm before depositing her case at the bottom of the staircase and taking a look around. Firstly she toed off her boots in the small porch seeing the whole place had been recently refurbished the evidence of builder’s dusty boot prints still visible in some areas. Her eyes took in the three storey end of terrace Victorian house as she added her coat to the hook on the wall and stepped inside the proper hallway onto the black and white mosaic floor to her left the stairs snuck up the inside wall with a clever under stairs cupboard and next to it a downstairs toilet. She could see at the far end of the house a kitchen had been fitted along the length of the house and she stepped inside looking around, on one end stood a gleaming stainless steel fridge freezer unit a spare sink and the general utilities and down the other a large duel fuel range and a large deep ceramic sink sunk into the dark marble work surface. Outside led to a small patio area and an expanse of garden which was yet to be landscaped and seemed to serve as a dumping ground for various things. She walked through a connecting arch into a large dining area with a cosy lounge at the far end and skated round the dark dining furniture and into the sparse lounge seeing that he had the bare minimum of furniture. She emerged back into the hall ascending the cream carpeted stairs to the first floor seeing the guest room on her right running the length of the house as well making a very large double room, one end occupied by a fitted wardrobe the other a large king sized bed nestled under a window the other large window looking out onto the garden. She hung up her smart clothes in the wardrobe grabbing her washbag and making her way to the bathroom opening the door her mouth dropping. To her left stood a split level walk in waterfall shower separated from the room by a glass brick wall, a huge bath adorning the other end of the room,  
‘Holy shit.’ She breathed placing her things down near the sink and retreating. Intrigued she made her way up the next set of stairs to the top floor seeing the same sized master bedroom with an ensuite kitted out in a similar style, she noted Ben had a balcony in his room and she peeked out before looking around seeing that it was indeed lived in and not a show home, and she could tell he had been home for a while seeing there were suit holders stuffed in corners and components of suits littered the room some folded some hung others just tossed aside and a mix of jumpers and jeans elsewhere; piles of clean laundry waiting to be put away balanced on varying cabinets and an overflowing clothes hamper. She smiled at the chaos of his life and retreated to have a quick shower. 

***

Ben all but threw his clothes across the room at the costume girl in his rush to get changed  
‘I know you like to get home but you’re never normally in this much of a rush.’ Claire said to him as he grabbed his bag and keys  
‘Meeting a friend for dinner and I’m late already, see you tomorrow.’ He said making his way to the car and jumping in joining the throng of traffic drumming his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel inching forwards, growling a little he flipped the radio on and ran through what he would say in his head before finally making it home forty minutes later. He shoved his keys in the lock running a nervous hand through his hair thinking of his opening line and shaking his head, giving up he pushed the door open he pushed off his shoes adding them to the pile next to hers and closed the front door walking into the hallway. He took a deep breath and the smell of home cooking wafted towards him and his mouth began to water, he quickly walked towards the kitchen seeing Catherine frantically chopping pausing every few moments to stir something on the stove. His eyes flicked down her body, her curly hair tied up in a ponytail bobbing and swinging as she moved around, his eyes darted down seeing she was wearing his grey hoodie and a pair of black jersey shorts that sat tight against her bottom. On her feet she wore a pair of thick multicoloured knitted socks that made it halfway up her calves obviously losing their elasticity as one was pooling around her ankle. He walked in behind her wrapping his arms around her waist making her jump a little as his fingers splayed out across her stomach, leaning in he buried his nose in her neck inhaling the deep citrus and musk of her perfume mixed with his cologne from his jumper. He kissed the back of her neck softly pressing his body against hers his eyes meeting hers in the refection in the window. She had stopped chopping and now had one eyebrow raised quizzically which only spurred him on more as he lent in to kiss her neck more firmly this time seeing her lips part as she dropped the knife in her hand moving her hand up to cup his face before tangling in his hair,  
‘That’s one way to say hello I suppose.’ She smiled,  
‘You have a better way?’ he asked his voice heavy in her ear almost making her legs melt. Reaching out she flicked the gas off turning round she licked her dry lips before grabbing the back of his neck pulling his lips to hers in a wet kiss, Ben responded his hands moving to her hips leaning her back into the kitchen counter as her tongue met his. He moaned into her mouth as her hand ran down his chest before resting on his shoulder blade, finally Catherine pulled away needing to breathe. Ben went straight in for more,  
‘Dinner will get burnt.’ She chided him trying to wriggle her head out of the way as he settled for kissing her neck,  
‘You taste good.’ He murmured,  
‘Ben…’ she warned flirtatiously   
‘Ok ok do I have time for a shower?’ he asked,  
‘Yep.’ She replied adding her chopping board full of vegetables to the pan and setting the flame back alight. 

Ben had never showered quicker in his life and after some hasty shoving of clean items into the bottom of his wardrobe and dirty items into the clothes hamper jamming the lid on and a bit of quick cleaning he was back in the kitchen.   
‘So that’s an interesting look.’ He noted   
‘Do you mind that I borrowed this?’ she pointed to his jumper fetching two wine glasses   
‘No its…you look cute…’ he said,  
‘Thanks…oh yeah and the socks were my first knitting challenge.’   
‘You knit?’  
‘Christ no I did knit once, I made a blanket as well and then I got bored with it, they are comfy though.’ She poured Ben some wine,  
‘Is it too soon to say I missed you?’ he asked,  
‘I missed you too. I’m quite glad this came up I usually send someone else but as the boss I get to be flippant and change my mind. Dinner will be about half an hour if you want to sit somewhere more comfortable, it’s nothing exciting just some lasagne.’ She motioned to the sitting room,  
‘Sounds great,’ he said as he flopped down on the sofa some of the wine slopping down his hand, ‘so I presume you have snooped around my house then.’ He said, Catherine coloured a little her eyes flicking away,  
‘What makes you say that?’ she asked picking some imaginary fluff off her shorts,  
‘That’s what I would do.’ He said honestly.  
‘How long ago did you do the refit?’  
‘Hmm must have been finished in April hence the back garden still needs clearing and I have no furniture. Most of my crap is still in storage I need to go through it all and throw half of it away but when am I gonna find that sort of time.’ He drank some of his wine and Catherine selected some classical music from his iPod attached to a stereo unit, ‘Brahms good choice.’ He said hearing the soothing tones feeling her sit next to him on the sofa leaning in resting her head on his shoulder her hand messing with his hair as she twirled some strands through her fingers massaging his scalp. ‘That’s nice…so tell me about your week.’ He said closing his eyes his fingers rubbing circles on her lower back pushing her t-shirt up so his fingers had better access.  
‘Well Monday I did nothing, Tuesday afternoon was spent hefting furniture around, Wednesday I had back to back meetings about this new business and the bank which is never fun but I think we are almost all sorted now in regards to that, did you know they were long and tedious?’  
‘I can imagine…’ Catherine moved her legs so that they draped over his lap feeling him move his hand from his leg to stroke circles lazily up the inside of her bare thighs.  
‘Thursday was spent at work and here I am. At least I got the sofa to fit and I moved the other one into the conservatory. The other pieces look good too you will see that anyway when you are next down.’ She said waving her hand before placing it back on his chest gently tracing her nails back and forth relaxing him further as she continued to ruffle his hair,  
‘Ah the joys of work, work and more work.’ He said,  
‘I saw a picture of you in the Daily Mail you were hanging in mid air about a bus stop, now that looks like fun.’ She said  
‘If you read that paper I am going to have to kick you out.’ He threatened,  
‘It was a customers honest.’ She held up her hand,  
‘It was fun but after a few hours…’  
‘Your balls drop off?’ Ben shot her a look,  
‘You are welcome to check they are still attached.’ Catherine smirked,  
‘So how did you do it?’ she asked,  
‘What dangle from a rope and keep your balls?’ he asked bemused,  
‘No how did you survive the fall?’ Ben narrowed his eyes, ‘what?’ she asked innocently.   
‘I never said I was falling.’ Catherine bit her lip,  
‘It was obvious I mean why else dangle you and the headline mentioned it.’ She lied,  
I am not going to tell you.’ He said, Catherine moved herself so that she was straddling him plopping down into his lap and resting her hands on his shoulders pouting,   
‘But I really realllly want to know.’ She said in a huff  
‘And you will find out like everyone else.’ Catherine pouted even more making him smile,  
‘Give me like a little hint.’ Ben shook his head, ‘ok fine but please tell me John punches you when he sees you again?’ Ben shrugged, ‘ugh there are literally no perks!’ she rolled her eyes letting out an annoyed sigh.  
‘You told me you hadn’t seen it.’ He argued,  
‘I hadn’t and now I have.’ She was momentarily distracted by Ben’s long fingers cupping her bottom sliding her closer and she looked down at his mouth,  
‘And what else have you seen?’ he asked,  
‘Nothing yet…’ she bit her lip again,  
‘Liar.’ He kissed below her ear, ‘tell me.’ He whispered feeling her thighs tense a little as he used a deeper voice,  
‘I am not lying I bought Parade’s End but I haven’t seen it yet, oh and I rewatched Fortysomething.’  
‘Oh god…’ he groaned grimacing.   
‘Would you rather I hate everything you have done?’ she asked huffing again,  
‘No of course not but I didn’t expect you to buy my back catalogue.’   
‘Oh I’m not even started yet,’ she grinned, ‘by the way did you know that people love to draw you and write things about you bumming a man called Martin or him bumming you, it’s not just bumming come to mention it there’s…’  
‘Yes I was aware of that thank you, you really should have left your laptop dusty and in a corner you know.’ He said as the oven timer pinged,  
‘Saved by the bell.’ She said jumping up as Ben followed her looking in the mirror seeing his hair was now sticking up at all angles and he caught up with her smacking her playfully on the ass,   
‘Woman what did you do to my hair?!’ He said as she span round,  
‘I think it’s an improvement.’ She said,  
‘Oh do you now…’ he backed her into the wall in the dining room catching her cheeks and kissing her feeling her mouth slide open as he pressed against her, he reached up taking out her hair band and ruffled his fingers through her hair making her stop,   
‘Meanie.’ She narrowed her eyes as he laughed,   
‘Tit for tat.’ He said placing a chaste kiss on her lips walking into the kitchen and turning off the timer finding some plates. Catherine rescued the almost burnt lasagne leaving it to rest as she heated up the bread and tossed some salad on each plate, ‘shall we be lazy and eat on the sofa?’ he bent down kissing her shoulder as he reached past her for some cutlery.   
‘Why not no one to impress.’ She said grabbing some tissues and dishing up the lasagne and picking up her plate and the bread as Ben brought the rest of the wine and his plate seeing she had placed two cushions on the floor next to the sofa and was sitting down her legs outstretched the plate balanced upon them, he settled next to her and picked up his glass,   
‘Cheers to an impromptu visit.’ He said,  
‘Tit for tat.’ She winked and they dug in famished.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It needs no explaination - enjoy :D

They chatted through dinner and established that they might have a hope of seeing one another this weekend as Ben thankfully wasn’t working on Sunday and was only working Saturday morning and Catherine had her Sunday free as well,  
‘No let me do that.’ He said as she went to clear up and she poured some more wine finishing the bottle between them. Ben saw her leaning against the counter as he stacked the dishwasher running the water into the sink tossing in the rest of the dishes taking off his watch,   
‘This is one swish watch.’ She picked it up and he turned seeing she had removed the hoodie revealing that she was wearing a white vest, she scrutinised it before putting it back watching him as he washed up her eyes flicking down his back seeing the once loose blue linen shirt pulled tight over his back and she allowed her mind to think of what it would feel like to run her fingers down it before looking at his bum licking her lips flicking her eyes back up realising she was getting a little tipsy, ‘what time do you have to be in work tomorrow?’ she asked,   
‘Umm I have to get up at five thirty.’ He said,  
‘Damn rather you than me, my meeting’s at ten and then I’m free, should only take an hour.’  
‘I should be done at about midday, one at the latest I tell you what you should swing by and then we will go out and do the tastings together if you want.’ He offered,   
‘Deal.’ She said going to the fridge and pulling out a plate, ‘now I know you are on a diet so I made this sort of healthy…’ she said wiggling the plate of chocolate covered strawberries at him,  
‘In that case how could I refuse?’ he said drying his hands and following her back into the sitting room seeing she had turned off the main lights leaving on one table lamp and her pupils dilated in the dark as she sat down picking up a strawberry,  
‘I was thinking about you the other day…’ she said nervously,   
‘Yeah?’ Ben asked biting down on his own strawberry watching her lips,   
‘Well I was dreaming about you…about us…’  
‘Hmm.’ Ben replied licking his fingers watching her for a moment as she fiddled with her hair,  
‘About that weekend that we went to Oxford.’ She added,  
‘And what did you dream about?’ he asked knowing full well what it was, he had had many a similar dream himself,  
‘Us, what would have, might have happened if I wasn’t…’  
‘Wasn’t what?’ he said realising she had moved closer,  
‘If I wasn’t such a wimp, if I had gone after what I wanted.’ Ben moved the hair over her shoulder his fingers tracing her skin,  
‘And what did you want?’ he saw her eyes flutter closed a little and he pressed his lips to her collar bone,  
‘Shit…’ she breathed as she reached up her hand resting on the back of his head,  
‘And you pretended you didn’t like me as more than a friend.’ He teased moving his kisses towards her neck his other hand resting on her leg,  
‘You didn’t make a move either.’ She breathed her chest rising to his lips as she gulped in air her skin warming to his attentions as his lips trailed lower on her chest,  
‘What did I do to you in this dream?’ he asked as her fingers gripped his back,  
‘Stuff…’ she said blushing, Ben chuckled,  
‘Wow that was inventive of me; be more specific.’ He said moving level with her head seeing her eyes open staring at him a little wide eyed,  
‘Ben I…it’s been a while…’ she said feeling her heart race,  
‘Don’t worry I’m not in a rush, now tell me what did I do to you?’   
‘You umm kissed me, a lot, everywhere…’ Ben smiled wickedly,  
‘Everywhere?’ he cocked his eyebrow and she nodded sheepishly, ‘then what?’  
‘Then you umm…we…god I’m bad at this it seems stupid.’ She said Ben stood up holding out his hand and she took it following him up the two flights of stairs to his room standing in the doorway wringing her hands as he closed the curtains and switched on and dimmed his bedside lamp before moving back to her.  
‘Why don’t I start with kissing you…everywhere.’ He said closing in on her his fingers running down her bare arms his voice like molten chocolate in her ear as his lips kissed her shoulders again and her knees became weak,  
‘Oh hmmm ok…’ she mumbled as he pushed the straps of her vest and bra down kissing the skin that was exposed, reaching up her fumbling fingers found his shirt buttons and she tugged at the top few finally getting them open before giving up and reaching down grasping the hem and pulling it off driving his head back and forcing his arms in the air.

Ben grabbed her hands and pinned them to the wall as his head met hers in the middle and their kiss collided passionately, he ran his hands down her arms before exploring her body feeling hers do the same running down his back and arms, across his chest and his stomach before gripping his trousers impatiently,  
‘I have dreamt about you too.’ He said the words almost sticking in his mouth delivered between hasty kisses,  
‘I want you so much, Ben I…please…’ she practically begged him and he reached down gripping her legs and hoisting her around his waist turning and almost stumbling to the bed as she kissed his cheek and then his neck. He felt his shins hit the end and tipped back just about managing to stop himself from crushing her with one hand as she held on to him tensing her legs and bucking her hips up against him,  
‘Fuck…’ he hissed as she ran her nails down his back a little wriggling against him her lips kissing his chest, ‘I thought you said it had been a while.’  
‘Seems to be like riding a bike…’  
‘Let’s hope that’s not the only thing you like riding.’ He grinned pulling her up the bed and sitting her up as he removed her vest top tossing it aside. Catherine giggled at his statement the sounds ceasing when he kissed her once more in a messy kiss barely managing to get their lips together in his haste before his hands roamed her body finding her shorts and pulling them down feeling Catherine kick them off, ‘do you want me to slow down.’ His brain reminded him to ask,  
‘No, god no.’ came the quick reply as his trousers were unbuttoned and unzipped and pushed down with her shorts off the end of the bed, ‘I don’t know what I want first.’ She said frustrated as she alternated between kissing his lips and his shoulders her hands flitting to every part of his body,   
‘I know what I want.’ He said untangling himself from her grip and kissing down between her breasts reaching behind her and unclipping her bra pulling it off and throwing it somewhere he let his fingers trail over her soft skin feeling it respond to his touch the small hairs standing on end before he lent down and let his mouth replace his hand placing gentle kisses and occasional light nips to her skin with his teeth until she was writhing beneath him her hands getting tighter and tighter on his back, only then did he tease her with his tongue until she murmured, ‘Ben…Benedict.’ Her fingers tangled in his hair and he felt his body begin to react as he kissed down across her stomach before leaning back; he saw Catherine’s eyes flick appreciatively down his body before settling on his black underwear that was beginning to tent and she licked up lips a little before looking at his face,  
‘A woman hasn’t looked at me like that for a very long time.’ He said picking up one of her legs and running his thumb down the sole of her foot seeing her toes curl, he kissed the inside of her ankle leaving a mark with his teeth before kissing down her calf her leg sliding itself easily over his shoulder as he bent down kissing the outside of her underwear feeling her thigh tense next to his neck and he flicked his eyes up to see that she was still watching him intently her pupils dilated her mouth slightly open and her chest rising and falling deeply,   
‘In my dream you were very…attentive…’ she said cheekily now emboldened a little,   
‘Well then let me attend.’ He replied sliding her underwear down and pulling them off gripping her hip with one long hand his nails digging lightly into her buttock as he kissed below her navel feeling her hips try to move but he had pinned them down, slowly he traced his tongue lower until he was beginning to taste her knowing she was turned on he allowed his fingers to trace from the bottom of her bum along the smooth skin until he found the one place he had dreamt about and he traced his fingers around her feeling her muscles clench already,   
‘Hmm eager.’ His voice hummed against her as one hand gripped the sheet next to his head; he flicked his tongue between her warm folds tasting her on the tip of his tongue before spreading her legs wider opening her up to him as he moved deeper timing his tongue and his fingers as he made her squirm beneath him her moans getting louder her back arching and her fingernails scraping at the sheets dragging them into folds around her. Catherine felt the heat rise and swell in her body her blood coursing through her veins as he teased her, giving her enough pressure to turn her on but not enough to secure her release, her hand reached down finding his arm that was now pressed against her leg and she gripped it tightly sinking her short nails in a little almost feeling his smile as he moved his lips closer sucking gently the pressure pushing her over the edge and she let out a strangled cry of pleasure holding her breath for a split second as Ben gripped her tightly to stop her flipping over as every muscle contracted and then released moments later.  
‘Fuck…shit…oh god…’ she said in staggered breaths as Ben wiped his chin with the back of his hand and then in the sheets which he knew he would have to change after the night before moving back up between her legs now rock hard and ready.   
‘Attentive enough?’ he purred in her ear seeing her nod trying to swallow her mouth now dry,  
‘Hmm I should repay the favour.’ She said licking her dry lips as Ben kissed her shoulder and she felt him lean into her his erection now straining against his underwear,  
‘I had other more mutual things in mind.’ He replied as she ran her feet up the back of his thighs and hooked her toes into his underwear dragging them down pausing only as he lifted his hips to help her,   
‘Me too.’ She replied as he grabbed a condom from his bedside drawer moving from her only briefly to roll it on. 

Ben lent down to kiss her slowly but moments later he felt himself being rolled to the side Catherine’s weight landing on top of him her hips circling enticingly against him making him groan his head rolling back into the soft pillows,  
‘Time for foreplay is over.’ She said leaning back and looking down at him his dark curls splayed against the cream linen his eyes watching her intently as she scanned his chest her fingers dragging lines through the hair that sat there making her smile. She felt Ben bend his legs placing his feet flat on the bed and she lent back feeling the curve of him against the softness of her bum and she rubbed against him as his hands moved to her thighs,   
‘God…’  
‘My turn to make you fall apart darling.’ She said shifting her hips and lowering onto him as his hands tightened on her legs trying to pull her down, ‘oh no…’ she said pulling his hands away interlocking their fingers forcing him to tense his arms as she lent forwards bracing herself continuing to torture him by moving down on to his length squeezing her pelvic floor muscles as she went making him grip her hands biting his lower lip until she had taken all of him. She held still for a moment until he flicked his eyes open to look at her,   
‘I want to touch you.’ He said,  
‘No pulling.’ She warned him and he nodded barely and she released his hands leaning back and using one leg to brace herself as she moved up and down squeezing on the way down,  
‘Fuck how are you, Jesus fucking Christ…’ he moaned beneath her his hands gripping her thighs occasionally moving to her lower back or her stomach, his head thrown back his eyes squeezed shut as he clenched his jaw barely breathing, she was keeping him deep inside her building him up slowly doing just as he had not giving him enough to push him over the edge but enough to drive him mad, ‘faster please…’ he hissed opening his eyes seeing her shake her head sadistically beads of sweat forming on her forehead, ‘god please.’ He said again and she lent forward changing the angle bracing herself on his chest kissing his sternum and his collarbones as she began to change her pattern of movement; Ben gripped her bottom moving his hips against hers hearing her moan a little he reached down between then his fingers circling around her clitoris,   
‘Ahh mmm yes.’ She breathed,   
‘You are killing me.’ He groan in her ear kissing her neck pressing his fingers harder,   
‘God fuck me Ben…’ she said, ‘I want you to fuck me.’ He didn’t need telling twice and he flipped her over pulling her legs around his waist centring himself and thrusting into her hard and fast pushing her up the bed, Catherine braced herself on the headboard feeling Ben’s hand move up to meet hers as his body slid along hers with every stroke setting her skin on fire, he pulled her left leg onto his waist levering his body deeper inside, ‘faster.’ She moaned her hands gripping his bum pulling him into her trying to meld their bodies together and Ben obliged upping his pace as his lips kissed any available skin and she buried her face into his neck tugging on his hair with one hand,  
‘Darling my god, so hot…’ he mumbled leaning back taking her with him bracing back on his calves and splaying his hand out in the middle of her back seeing her hair stick to the sweat on her chest and neck and she tilted back as he thrust up into her gripping his shoulders as he cradled her neck,  
‘Ben, huh uh Ben yes, there, that, keep going…’ she groaned as he threw his head back, he felt his orgasm beginning and he kept pushing through the cramp in his bum and the ache in his lower back knowing his muscles would be sore in the morning, that would be if he could even walk but his body pushed him on towards one thing and as soon as Catherine let out a loud moan that he was sure his neighbours would hear and he joined her with his own of similar volume feeling her body still trembling in his arms a little. Catherine lent forwards kissing his chin feeling his head tilt forwards and she claimed his lips in a soft kiss cupping his face stroking his cheek, tracing his cheekbone feeling the damp sweat on his forehead,   
‘That was…’ he whispered meeting her eyes,  
‘Mmm hmm.’ She agreed kissing him again wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer feeling his hands run down her back and he went to move and she held on to him, ‘one minute.’ She said kissing him again feeling his tongue meet hers and he gently sank back into the mattress until her head hit the pillows and her legs relaxed; he took his moment to move grabbing a tissue and cleaning himself up a little before lying back down tracing his fingers across Catherine’s face before resting them on her neck kissing her soft mouth seeing her eyes open her hands moving to cover the small triangle of hair between her legs her face scrunching up,  
‘You ok?’ he asked concerned,  
‘That’s going to ache in the morning,’ she smiled seeing him smile, ‘good ache.’  
‘I think I pulled a hamstring.’ He said rubbing the back of his leg hearing her giggle,   
‘And we ruined the sheets…’ she noted the damp sweaty mess of bed clothes around her as he broke into a deep chuckle as well hugging her to him settling into slow lazy kisses,   
‘God I want to do that all again but I can’t fuck up in work two days in a row.’ He said yawning,  
‘For now I think it’s time to sleep.’ She said setting her alarm seeing him do the same  
‘We should move.’ He added trying to shuffle into a dry patch,  
‘I am to content to move.’ She sighed, ‘but I do have to pee.’ She rolled off of him padding to the bathroom and Ben took in the sight of her naked body drinking it in until she closed the door reappearing minutes later kissing him with a minty mouth, ‘I know it’s gross but I used your toothbrush…’ she said yawning herself as he shrugged getting up and making his way across the room seeing her pull the sheet over her bum watching him her face pressed into the pillow, ‘you really do have a nice ass.’ She said in a muffled voice making him laugh,  
‘Go to sleep you pervert.’ He closed the door behind him and when he reappeared she was already asleep, Ben moved the hair from her face climbing into bed next to her and turning off the light feeling her snuggle into him and he closed his eyes drifting off himself tired after his exertions.


	16. Chapter 16

Ben opened one blue eye as his alarm went off letting out a sigh and reaching out turning it off before looking over his shoulder seeing Catherine’s head turned away from him one arm slung over his chest the sheet barely covering her body, he gently extracted himself yawning as he sat up placing his feet on the floor and rubbing his head before getting up,  
‘Fuck!’ he swore a little too loudly as his right hamstring pulled shooting pain down the back of his leg, he limped to the bathroom hearing a chuckle rise from the sheets and he looked over his shoulder to see Catherine smiling her eyes still shut, narrowing his eyes he limped on hearing her giggle again, ‘I’m not deaf you know.’ He closed the bathroom door; he showered quickly letting the hot jet of water douse the back of his leg before drying off looking through his medicine cabinet finding a marginally out of date box of anti-inflammatories and downing two brushing his teeth slipping back out and checking the time grabbing some clothes and dragging them on zipping up his jeans and pulling the t-shirt over his rapidly drying hair bending down he kissed Catherine’s head tucking the sheet up around her and closing the window before padding downstairs grabbing his cup of coffee and some toast packing his bag and making his way outside,  
‘Uh morning.’ Emily said keys in hand looking warily at her uncle who was wide awake and climbing into the car,  
‘Morning.’ He replied flicking his script open and reading it avidly,  
‘Right, weird…’ she said under her breath getting in the drivers seat and starting the car, ‘so umm did your friend get on alright?’ she asked,  
‘Hmm? Oh yeah she found everything.’ He said nonchalantly smiling to himself. 

Catherine woke up before her alarm rolling onto her back and stretching out having slept the best she had done for a long while, knowing she had a few hours to kill she sat up grabbing her underwear and vest pulling them on and set to work stripping the sheets and putting them in the wash finding some clean sheets in the airing cupboard quickly remaking the bed. She turned looking around the room gathering up as many clothes as she could find and tossing them in the hamper dragging it to the top of the stairs and turning round throwing open the balcony doors and all the curtains bathing the room in light. Without wanting to seem too interfering she tidied up a little putting away all of his t-shirts in a drawer seeming to contain t-shirts, tossing his underwear in the appropriate drawer and folding up his suits piling them neatly in one corner until she turned seeing the room look less like a teenage bolthole and more like a grown man’s room. She dumped the washing in to two piles white and colours and went to have a shower relaxing under the hot water feeling the muscles in her legs and lower back ache the water soothing them away; it had been years since she had been in bed with a man, so many years she had stopped bothering to count and she had worried that she would be nervous but it seemed to come back to her with relative ease. She closed her eyes remembering the feel of Ben’s lips on hers, on her skin, the way he had felt inside her,   
‘God my back.’ Mumbled rinsing out her hair rubbing the water from her eyes and stretching a little hearing it click, by the time she had gotten dressed in a charcoal pencil skirt and white blouse the sheets had washed and she wandered out into the back garden squinting up towards the sky seeing a few patches of blue and some grey clouds and risked it hanging up the sheets on a makeshift washing line leaving them to dry and tossing in the white washing setting it to go and opening the fridge looking around, she saw a few mouldy items in the bottom and dragged the bin across flipping it open and pulling out anything that was out of date or looked plain wrong and then evaluated what was left,  
‘Eggs it is.’ She said picking up two and half a pepper, cheese, tomatoes and onions and walked to the stove quickly making herself an omelette checking the time she ate it quickly finding a pair of heels and her phone calling her friend, ‘Hey Beth are you on your way?’ she said grabbing an umbrella just in case and shoving all her papers in her bag and hurrying down the road,  
‘Umm yeah just leaving now, you?’  
‘Almost at the tube station, we have to get off where again?’   
‘Umm Liverpool Street.’ She said checking her map,  
‘Right ok, I will try and be early but I make no promises I will meet you outside.’ Catherine said saying their goodbyes and ducking inside Hampstead station getting her oyster card out from the depths of her purse and topping it up making her way through the barriers racing to the platform to catch the next train feeling the sticky humid heat hit her making her sweat a little glad she hadn’t put on any make up. Thirty minutes later having realised she had gotten on the wrong branch of the northern line having to high tail it through Tottenham Court Road and onto the central line she finally made it to the surface seeing Bethan tapping her foot impatiently,  
‘Finally.’ She sighed hugging her friend,  
‘I know I am so sorry I went the wrong way, typical.’ Catherine rolled her eyes.   
‘You used to live here for how long?’ Bethan asked, her hands on her hips,   
‘Don’t remind me.’  
‘Where are you staying anyway, you know you could have stayed at mine.’ They started to walk towards the bank,  
‘I didn’t want to impose I mean you are in the middle of packing and with Millie and James as well I would have been in the way, I’m crashing with a friend near Hampstead.’ She said,  
‘Who?’ Bethan asked,  
‘Oh you don’t know her.’ Catherine lied a little, ‘she’s someone from back home who moved up, it’s been nice to catch up actually.’ They got to the entrance,  
‘Ok you know your pitch; I know my pitch let’s go get some money.’ Bethan said seeing Catherine smile knowing with those two women no bank manager stood a chance and if they could help it there were going to get as much money from the bank as they could. 

Benedict smiled at Claire as she ruffled his hair again bending down a little to accommodate her,  
‘You are chipper.’ She noted seeing him smile wider,  
‘Aren’t I allowed to be happy?’ he asked as two people attacked his nose with powder brushes,  
‘Ben I really wish you hadn’t gotten a tan.’ Hannah chided him jabbing his nose a little harder,  
‘I know I’m really sorry the sun somewhat took me by surprise last week.’ She rolled her eyes at him not managing to be angry at him for long.   
‘Right are we ready?’ Colm said as the umbrellas were whipped away and the cameras began to roll as Ben slipped into character trying to ignore the growing crowd being held back by the Metropolitan Police. He took a deep breath trying to remember his lines and deliver them; he slipped into Sherlock mode before bounding up the steps to the British Library acting out his lines close to perfection as he could not stopping even when martin got his wrong,  
‘Cut, reset.’ Colm shouted,  
‘Ugh every fucking time!’ martin said frustrated with himself.  
‘Don’t worry fifth times a charm.’ Ben said,  
‘You’re chipper today did you get laid or something?’   
‘What?! No! I’m just happy…’ Ben said quickly,  
‘Oh my god you did! Who is she…or he I’m not gonna judge.’ He held up his hand as Ben frowned at him,  
‘I didn’t get laid, Catherine my friend,’ he stressed the word, ‘you know the woman looking after my parents’ house is using my spare room. We had a bit of a catch up last night some home cooked food did me good.’ Ben defended,  
‘Catherine the one you took on a weekend shag break to Oxford?’ martin beamed,  
‘Who took who on a shag break?’ Rupert chimed in,  
‘Oh for…no one Martin here doesn’t believe that a man and a woman can be friends without having sex. There was no shagging, then or now.’ He said,  
‘Ok ready for the next take.’ Colm shouted again and they walked back to their mark and Martin and Rupert exchanged a knowing look,  
‘You know if you were seeing her all jokes aside and she makes you this happy then I’m happy for you mate. You deserve someone nice and from what you told me she sounds food for you. Even if you are just friends…’ he said and Ben just looked at him warily,  
‘Action!’ Colm shouted and Ben was gone and Sherlock was back.

***

Bethan raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow as Catherine checked her watch,  
‘Congrats partner, her you want to grab some lunch we earned it. We can have a proper catch up then.’ Catherine shoved the zip of her bag closed swinging it over her shoulder seeing it was past noon and she was due to meet Ben at one.  
‘Umm.’   
‘You in a rush to get home?’ Bethan asked curious, ‘or perhaps you have a better offer?’   
‘No! No of course not as long as I get back in time to pack and catch my train.’ She lied again trying not to bite her lip. She unclipped her mostly dry hair running her fingers through it,  
‘What are you in the mood for?’   
‘I don’t even know what’s around here these days.’ Catherine shrugged feeling a long way away from her old life every time she came back to London but a part of her missing it.  
‘Sushi? Thai fusion, Mexican, Italian, French?’  
‘What happened to a plain old sandwich?’ she looked a little horrified,  
‘Ahh yes the plain old humble sandwich, follow me.’ Bethan swished off in the opposite direction leaving Catherine to shake her head following her as she ducked into a small café reading the long menu on the wall behind the counter,  
‘What can I get you?’ a man said poised bread knife in hand,  
‘Uh I will have the turkey salad with brie on brown baguette, no mayo, no butter, pepper no salt, no tomatoes, cold and a bottle of water please.’ Glad the ordeal of choosing a sandwich was over trying to ignore the jostling of people around her as she stretched for a bottle of water rooting around for her purse handing the money over taking her sandwich and wrestling her way to the back corner where Bethan had already managed to save a small table thankful that most people ordered to take out and she lent back into the small chair sipping some water.  
‘So good pitch nice to see you haven’t lost it.’ Bethan jibed,  
‘Woman I never lost it, I never will.’ She said, ‘I am just a little bit glad I don’t live here anymore, don’t get me wrong I miss my friends and I miss the availability of having everything you could ever want 24 hours a day, but I don’t miss the tube at rush hour, or the queues or the shoving.’ She said barely moving her foot before someone stood on it eating a bite of her lunch.   
‘Funny how you don’t notice when you live here.’ Bethan shrugged,  
‘That’s true but I have had wide open spaces, fresh air and polite old biddies for almost a decade now.’   
‘Fuck me has it been that long?’   
‘Moved back when I was twenty seven and now I am almost 35.’ She said,  
‘And you never wanted to come back?’   
‘Well it never really became the right time, I mean with mum and then the bakery took off and I have never looked back, it’s been open six years now and going from strength to strength, we supply every local supermarket, farmer’s market, restaurant and café within about a fifteen mile radius and what with the café now I don’t think I will ever find the time to move back.’  
‘And you still work there 6 days a week?’ Bethan said astounded,  
‘It keeps me busy and I love baking and my customers.’  
‘You never thought to employ more full time staff and become managerial?’   
‘Well I did about three years ago but London isn’t for me and I was dying in that firm there was no way I was going to get a promotion or a raise and I hated my boss. It was fucking miserable and of course Dean didn’t help.’  
‘Let’s not talk about that shit faced wanker.’ Bethan said belligerently, ‘that man took three years of your life and left you high and dry I still wished I had hit him harder.’  
‘Oh you left him with a scar that was good enough.’ Catherine laughed, ‘nothing good comes of having a fling at work.’ She shook her head.  
‘And here was me thinking the country had made you soft, you’re still a ball buster that poor man was never going to beat you down from 65%.’  
‘Look we went in wanting that capital and we came out with it and the small business grant means we shouldn’t have to raid the back up fund.’ Catherine shrugged,  
‘Do you honestly think we will pay them off in five years?’ Bethan worried,  
‘Of course, I said five to give us a buffer; they will be paid off in three tops. Remember I own the bakery outright and the overheads are more than covered by profit; the estate debt is paid off thanks to the tenants and if she stays there even another two years I will have covered the upkeep for a decade. Joe is talking about setting up deer farming down on the west hectare which will give us income for very little upkeep.’  
‘I forget you have been running a country estate for twenty years.’ Bethan said smiling,  
‘Some mug had to.’ Catherine remembered her dad’s useless attempt at helping, her grandfather who almost bankrupted them and her mother with zero business acumen shaking her head, ‘well a mug that knew how to switch on a calculator, I couldn’t let something that has been in my family for centuries go down the swanny!’  
‘And now you have Kate Moss as a tenant.’ Bethan laughed,  
‘Ssh don’t tell the rellies.’ Catherine put a finger to her lips.   
‘Well career tick, money tick, title tick, now it’s time to find a man and have some babies.’   
‘I’m not someone who needs a husband and children to define who I am or to make me happy you know.’ She said defensively, Bethan held up her hands,  
‘Woah I never said that you did, but don’t you get lonely sometimes? You’re a workaholic how long has it been since you went on a date?’   
‘Umm.’   
‘Ok then kissed a guy, got laid?’ Catherine blushed her mind flicking to last night, ‘you know what they say use it or lose it I mean how do you know it hasn’t grown over?’ Catherine snorted with laughter,  
‘I’m pretty sure it doesn’t “grow over” but thanks for your concern.’ She downed her water, ‘right I really better be off.’ She threw her rubbish in the bin hugging her friend as they exited the shop, ‘I will see you next week; give my love to the family.’ She said waving goodbye until she had turned a corner pulling out her phone,  
“Hey we are running a bit late still filming at the British Library, call me when you get this and we can work out where to meet.”  
She read the hurried text ignoring the mistakes seeing he had only just sent I, sticking her arm out she hailed a taxi,  
‘Hi, the British Library please.’ She said closing the door and leaning back.


	17. Chapter 17

Catherine paid the driver hopping out and crossing the road seeing a large crowd of people and lots of metal barriers,  
‘Umm excuse me?’ she tapped the shoulder of a police officer worried she had walked into shot.  
‘Hello.’ He replied.  
‘What’s going on?’ she asked bemused,  
‘You didn’t want to use the library did you? I’m afraid there is a film crew inside.’   
‘Are all these the extras?’ she asked gesturing to the throng of people.  
‘Oh no these are the fans.’ He said chuckling,  
‘Oh shit right…’   
‘Problem?’ he asked,  
‘Well you probably won’t believe me because you have no reason to but my friend is in there somewhere, he’s one of the actors and I am supposed to be meeting him.’   
‘Uh huh…’ the man amused her,  
‘Oh never mind…’ she sighed.  
‘Hang on a minute he picked up his radio.’ After pressing a few buttons he said, ‘Pete yeah I got a woman here called…’  
‘Catherine Acland.’  
‘Catherine Acland.’ He repeated, ‘says she’s here to see an actor could you check if anyone knows her.’  
‘Will do give me a minute.’ The voice came,  
‘Oh thanks that’s kind of you.’ She gushed,   
‘Well you don’t look like one of the crazy ones so I thought you might be telling the truth.’ He said resting his hands in his pockets. Five minutes later his radio buzzed,  
‘Yeah mate she’s good, they know her bring her on in.’ the voice said,  
‘Looks like my intuition was right.’ He said guiding her through. Catherine received some points and stares from the assembled crowd before reaching the calm interior of the entrance hall,  
‘Thanks.’ She said as he retreated and a woman came up to her smiling,  
‘Hi are you Catherine?’ she asked   
‘That’s me.’ The woman handed her a laminated pass with the words BBC and VISITOR on it in big red letters.  
‘Follow me…they are just finishing up but you can watch if you want?’ Catherine’s eyes widened,  
‘Really? I would love to as long as I’m not in the way.’ She said as she was ushered in between some cameras,  
‘No you’ll be fine as long as you stay there just don’t speak when the cameras are rolling.’ She smiled and disappeared. Someone else handed her some headphones and she slipped them on,  
‘I’m losing the will with this scene we just get it right and now he wants to change angles.’ Ben’s voice filled her ears and she looked around finally seeing him on the far side of the room,  
‘Oh come on you have someone to impress now.’ Another voice added and she squinted seeing a small grey-blonde man.  
‘Oh really who’s that?’ Ben scoffed,  
‘I just signed in your friend. Oxford shag weekend…’ and the man nudged Ben smirking to which Ben looked around confused,  
‘As I told you it was not that kind of weekend! What do you mean signed her in she’s at work?’ Ben said looking away from where she was standing,  
‘Apparently she’s here…come to visit her little love struck boyfriend.’ Martin said in a baby voice and Catherine smiled as Ben flipped him his middle finger.  
‘Come on you two we have an hour!’ Colm shouted and they both straightened up like school children caught talking at the back of class.  
‘Sorry.’ They said. Catherine watched Ben scan his script before delivering a long monologue with precision at lightening speed her mouth falling open a little; she was amazed at how he managed to slip into a completely different person so much so she almost forgot she was watching him. Suddenly they started to walk towards her and she jumped a little shuffling backwards and finding she had no where to go stopped standing as still as possible; Ben and Martin kept walking and she shut her eyes a little bracing herself as Ben was walking backwards placing her hands up as he careered into her as Colm yelled cut,  
‘Oof.’ He said stopping abruptly turning round,  
‘Sorry, I’m sorry I couldn’t move, too many cables and I couldn’t say anything.’ She said her eyes darting around seeing if she was going to be forcibly removed. 

Ben couldn’t think of something to say and so instead took her by the top of the arm and steered her away from the crew into one of the many winding bookshelves,  
‘Shit you’re angry.’ She breathed before he could say anything, ‘I shouldn’t have come I should have just rung you, stupid woman.’ She said and Ben opened his mouth, ‘I should go, shall I go…no I’ll just go and leave you to it.’ She went to walk past him feeling his grip tighten on her arm and one hand move her chin up to look at his face. Catherine fixed on his blue eyes that were looking at her quizzically,   
‘Woman you are babbling worse than me.’ He said rubbing his thumb along her lips,   
‘Sorry.’ She whispered looking down at his lips as his face drew closer and she took a breath in,  
‘Stop apologising.’ He said before brushing his lips across hers. Within moments he had pressed against her backing her into the tall wooden shelf and she soon forgot where she was; she let her hands trail up his chest that was now adorned in a tight white shirt before gripping his neck feeling the rough thick woollen coat tickle against her forearms as their tongues met,   
‘Hmm ok.’ She mumbled in reply her fingers gripping the base of his hair tilting their heads to accommodate the kiss better as Ben felt her body respond to his pressing her hips against his as she pulled away, ‘oh no I’ll mess up your make up.’ She said licking her lips and rubbing his removing some of her lip balm and some foundation with it, ‘crap.’ She said seeing him smile,  
‘Don’t worry about it.’ He replied, ‘I should apologise for walking in to you.’   
‘No it was my fault, look really though do you want me to go? I don’t want to distract you, or open you up to Oxford shag weekend gossip.’ She smiled a little and Ben rolled his eyes,  
‘That is Martin you will have to excuse him, mouth like a toilet and a brain to match.’ He said, ‘are you angry that I lied about us?’ he said worried,  
‘Oh god no, you have a right to some privacy. I wasn’t exactly honest with my friend either.’ She said,  
‘Then we agree to…’  
‘See how it goes.’ She said seeing him nod moving away from him just as someone rounded the corner,  
‘Everything alright?’ Patrick asked,   
‘Yeah sorry I’m just coming.’ Ben said holding up his hands in apology turning to Catherine, ‘after you.’ He said following her back out to the main set,  
‘So…?’ Martin said looking between them both as Hannah stepped forward adjusting Ben’s make up,  
‘Hello I’m Catherine.’ She held out her hand,   
‘Ahh Catherine, nice to meet you finally.’ Martin said taking her hand warmly, ‘everything alright?’ he asked looking between them,  
‘Oh yes, Ben and I are in cahoots so we needed to have the same story.’ She said tapping her nose and Martin grinned,  
‘Cahoots in regards to what?’ he asked,  
‘Well that would be telling. I was merely apologising for getting in the way and offering to leave.’  
‘Oh you don’t need to do anything as drastic as that we have barely gotten to know each other.’ Martin said smiling at her craning his neck a little,  
‘Ok guys let’s finish this off.’ Patrick said ushering Ben and Martin into place.

***

Catherine watched patiently as they finished their scenes still astounded at the quality of Ben’s acting and was ushered aside as the filming ended and the set was packed up playing with her hair inspecting her split ends for a few minutes, she chose to sit to one side taking in the atmosphere of the busy crew all working as one big machine to get things tidied as quickly as possible,  
‘Catherine?’ she heard someone call her name and she looked up seeing Ben scanning the room, she gave him a little wave and he walked towards her now dressed in a casual pair of maroon trousers and a white t-shirt with what looked to be a bison on it his hair pushed back a little and his make up hastily removed.   
‘Hello, all done?’ she asked picking up her bag and standing up her heels making her a little taller than him and he tilted his head back,  
‘Indeed I am so shall we head off?’ he said,  
‘Did you say your goodbyes?’ she said waving at Martin, who was still grinning at her as Ben led her towards the door,  
‘Yeah I see them every day remember you are buggaring off again.’ He said as the fresh air hit them,  
‘Ben!’ Someone shouted and Catherine looked up,  
‘Hi guys.’ He waved shyly signing a few autographs and posing for a few photos before making his apologies,  
‘Are you his girlfriend?’ Someone to Catherine’s left asked and she looked up from her phone,  
‘Hmm me? No, childhood friend.’ She lied as Ben came to join her,   
‘We have to get going.’ He said checking his watch and she went along with it hailing a taxi and stepping inside hearing Ben follow her and shut the door, ‘where are we going?’  
‘Have you eaten? Do you want to eat?’ she asked still worried at how thin he was,  
‘I’m alright I grabbed something between takes, did you eat?’ he said his hand moving to rest on her knee rubbing small circles with his thumb.   
‘Yeah I grabbed a sandwich after my meeting.’  
‘Oh how did it go?’ He said leaning back in the chair his eyes closing a little, Catherine watched him, she gave the driver Ben’s address and lent into him a little,  
‘It went well; we got the money we wanted.’ She said,  
‘Good.’ He mumbled his eyes fully closed now. She let him sleep for the journey only waking him when she had paid the driver,   
‘Ben…Ben wake up.’ She said softly in his ear kissing his cheek seeing his eyes flutter open,  
‘Hmm?’ he mumbled looking around,  
‘We’re home.’ She added pulling him from the taxi closing the door and rummaging in her bag finding the keys and letting them into the house, ‘maybe you could do with some sleep?’ she suggested,  
‘No, I’m good I don’t have you for long I want to make the most of you, I shouldn’t have fallen asleep.’ He said more to himself, ‘what do you want to do today?’ he asked as she opened the back door grabbing the sheets and folding them quickly having a think to herself as Ben grabbed them both a drink, ‘you didn’t have to do my washing for me.’ He said taking the sheets from her moving his washing to the dryer and putting on the rest,  
‘Well I thought the sheets needed washing and I helped make them dirty, was it too much?’   
‘No, god no, I just don’t want you to feel like my cleaner or worse my mum I should have started with thanks.’ He replied nervously walking towards the stairs, ‘I’m just gonna change.’ He shouted,  
‘Oh I might have tidied up a bit too…’ she replied downing her water and heading to the guest room. 

She started to unbutton her blouse pulling it off and tossing it down towards her suitcase, she kicked off her heels feeling her toes sink into the carpet, bending down she rubbed her ankle thankful she hadn’t gotten a blister wondering how she ever wore shoes like that day in day out glad of her years in trainers. As she stood up she felt a pair of hands on her waist,  
‘You should have said you were changing I would have offered to give you a hand.’ He said making her smile his hands running down the front of her thighs,  
‘Because I knew your intentions were entirely dishonourable.’ She replied turning in his arms his hands slipping to her bum,  
‘I have been thinking about you all day.’ He murmured as she kissed his neck her hands working under his t-shirt pushing it up her fingers tracing the planes of his skin.   
‘Me too.’ She responded as he unzipped her skirt before she pulled his t-shirt off their lips colliding just before she managed to push his shorts down he rescued his wallet finding a condom and tossing his wallet aside as he kicked away his shorts, Catherine had wiggled out of her grey skirt and was now standing in front of him wearing her plain white underwear. His eyes ran down her body in a predatory way and when they landed on her face again she was blushing, ‘Jesus the way you look at me.’ She said as he walked towards her the swell in his underwear evident he settled his body against hers cupping her face tilting it to look at him,  
‘This is how every man should look at you darling, you’re exquisite.’ She blushed harder lowering her head a little,  
‘If you insist.’ She mumbled, Ben kissed the top of her head then bent kissing her temple moving lower until she looked at him,  
‘Do you know what I like most?’ he lent into her kissing her mouth gently,  
‘Don’t say everything because it would be cheesy and a lie.’ She replied,  
‘Hmm no not everything…’ he chuckled as she pouted kissing it away, ‘I have always considered myself a breast man and whilst these,’ he traced his finger across her breast dipping it in between making her giggle, ‘are amazing, these legs…especially wrapped around my waist, have somewhat changed my mind.’ He let his hands run over them before hoisting her up into the air making her squeal with surprise,  
‘Nice to have helped you discover a new fetish.’ She replied pushing his underwear down as she felt her back hit the wall, Ben felt one leg slide from his grip landing on the floor his hand moving to pull her lips to his harder leaving her breathless clinging to him for dear life,   
‘Legs, definitely legs.’ He hummed his hands slipping into her underwear pushing them down feeling her teeth nip his shoulder. Ben went to move to the bed but she pulled him back; talking a deep breath and steeling her nerves she sank down the wall to the floor running her hands up the back of his thighs resting them on his bum for a moment. She felt her heart racing like a freight train the blood whooshing through her ears as she tried to remember what she was supposed to be doing, ‘you don’t…’ Ben began seeing the fear on her face but before he could say anymore she had tentatively flicked her tongue over the very end of him and his brain had ceased to function, ‘Oh god.’ He moaned his hand moving to the wall to brace himself as his body bowed forwards the other gently resting on her shoulder, emboldened by his positive response she wetted her lips moving further down his shaft her fingers wrapping around the base beginning to stroke in time with her mouth with just enough pressure to drive him made. The grip on her shoulder tightened and his fingers tangled in her hair resting against his head, ‘stop.’ He said and she frowned, ‘stop.’ He said again louder,  
‘Was I doing something wrong?’ she lent back on her calves and Ben stooped pulling her up,  
‘No.’ came his simple reply his hands moving to her cheeks kissing her, he felt Catherine’s hand slide down his length and he pulled away,  
‘Ben…’ she breathed and he picked her up again slamming her back against the wall as she wrapped her legs around his waist,  
‘Wait.’ He said his mind snapping to reality,  
‘Done it, I did it, Ben please.’ She groaned and he trusted her thrusting up inside her, ‘yes! God yes…’ she moaned loudly her head hitting the wall. Ben continued his pace feeling himself build quickly as he pushed inside her his chest sliding across her breasts feeling her peaked nipples brushing against his skin, her hands were gripping his shoulders and she arched her back forcing the angle tighter as he moved, ‘there…fuck Ben right there.’ She said exposing her neck to him and he kissed the hollow at the base of her throat trying not to leave a mark. Catherine wanted to see him come apart and she moved a hand from his shoulder to the hair at the base of his head gripping it tugging it firmly.   
‘Ahh harder.’ He moaned and she obliged seeing his mouth open and she slid her hands deeper into his hair pulling it hearing a guttural moan come from deep within his chest vibrating into her body as he moved quicker and deeper gravity doing the rest and she felt herself on the edge,  
‘Look at me; I need you to look at me.’ She gasped seeing his eyes flick open meeting hers and she came her back arching even further and her head moving back trying to keep her eyes attached to his as he threw his head back spilling his seed,  
‘Fuck Cath-er-ine.’ He stuttered trying to catch his breath his hands failing him his arms beginning to shake and he moved out of her quickly as he sank to the ground feeling them land in a heap of tangled long limbs,   
‘Shit are you ok?’ she asked kissing any part of him she could reach her arms still wrapped around his neck,  
‘Mmm hmm.’ He replied his eyes opening, ‘I might need a minute to recover though.’ He added resting his forehead against her shoulder hearing her giggle,  
‘Ok.’ She stroked the back of his head looking up and out of the window, ‘thank god you aren’t overlooked.’ She added,  
‘I have nothing to hide…well maybe some things are best left private.’ He added chuckling,  
‘Plus quite a few of your neighbours are on the older side I don’t think they want to see your bum.’ She replied,   
‘Remind me again what were we going to do this afternoon?’  
‘Well I was going to go to some markets and some local delis etcetera and source some produce.’  
‘Ahh sustenance just what we need.’ He smiled,   
‘This time are you going to let me put my clothes on?’ she asked stressing the last word and he shook his head, ‘in that case I ban you.’ She said climbing off of him and rescuing some underwear from her suitcase slipping them on, she picked up Ben’s shorts and underwear tossing them to him seeing him put them on, she grabbed a red floral print sleeveless blouse pulling it on and grabbing a pair of denim shorts finding some simple flip-flops and Ben looked at her for a moment, ‘oh I know I’m not uber trendy like I guess you’re used to.’ She said looking down, ‘but it does the job.’  
‘No I like it, if you haven’t noticed I’m not exactly a fashionista either.’ He pointed out his navy shorts that were fraying in areas and his white t-shirt.   
‘I always say if you feel comfortable then who gives a shit, I’m over thirty the time for thongs and hot pants is gone, as is stupidly tight clothing that you can’t breathe in.’ and Ben laughed,  
‘Amen to that, now let’s go get some food.’ He said seeing her smile finding a tan handbag and chucking in her wallet and grabbing some sunglasses and a cardigan bounding down the stairs after him a definite spring in her step.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know what happened, I was writing gentle cute nonsense and then the last half happened...my apologies...enjoy...

Benedict led Catherine into the garage removing a dust sheet off of a motorbike,  
'Wow you're a petrol head who would have known?' she teased running her hand across the leather seat and the chrome handlebars of Ben's new bike, gone was his small engine run-around and in its place was a more sleek model, one he could choose to ride to the countryside and back if the whim took him, he had bought it barely a few days ago and had only ridden it once loving the hum of the engine beneath him the power that it contained and he couldn't wait to take it on a proper journey.  
'I am here to take you wherever you need. This way I thought it would be quicker.' he said handing her a helmet,  
'In that case we will start as far south as we can go and work back, Borough Market please.' she said, he mounted the bike walking it out and closing the door behind them. Catherine slipped her body in behind his wrapping her hands around his waist making sure her chin strap was secure, 'have you been on a bike before?' he asked seeing her give him a thumbs up and a nod and he started the engine flipping his visor down feeling her thighs press against his her arms holding him loosely her body moving with his. He relished the feeling of her body against hers as he weaved through the streets of north London heading past Green Park, Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben proudly displaying the time and then making his way down the north bank of the river crossing at Southwark and weaving his way past the famous cathedral before bringing the bike to a stop.  
'God I missed that!' she said shaking out her hair grinning, 'and thanks for the scenic route.' she added as he took the helmet from her stowing it in the box on the back locking it up and pocketing the keys making sure the bike chain was secure.  
'You're welcome, now let's get some food.' he said, Catherine slipped her hand into Ben's feeling his fingers wrap around hers as they walked through Borough Market the hustle and bustle surrounding them. 'So tell me what are we looking for?' he asked,  
'Lots of things. Suppliers of local produce, flour, exotic ingredients that might do well in the cafe, we are open to new ideas in terms of drinks, the West Country is in that commuter belt and we have a lot of customers between 7 and 8 who come in for a pastry, I did a survey and found they would love coffees, teas and other juices, smoothies and things like that, many of them don't have time for breakfast and we are on the way from the nearest free parking spot to the train station we get a lot of footfall so of course Bethan and I want to take advantage of that, we will only open the cafe from 7 to three in the afternoon to start with and see how it goes with a view to maybe extending later on but we find no one really buys coffee after 3.' she said walking up to a colourful stall,  
'afternoon.' the man said,  
'Hi, my name's Catherine Acland I was wondering if I could pick your brain about sourcing a regular supply of French wheat flour from you.' the man nodded ushering her round the side and Ben watched avidly as Catherine talked at length about the French wheat decline, global warming, shipping costs, wholesale costs all with one thing in mind,  
'Surely there is a closer importer of flour to Chipping Norton?' the man said,  
'Actually they all buy from you, and my motto is go straight to the source, I'm looking to up production of baguettes and I need to do it on a large scale so I need large volumes of flour in excess of two tonnes a month.' she said and even Ben's mouth opened.  
'Give me your details and I will speak to the French management and see if we can accommodate your order, shouldn't be a problem and we can ship directly to your bakery.' he said shaking her hand and she knew she still had a deal to make later on but the groundwork was done. She gave him her card taking one of his before purchasing a baguette which Ben promptly took hold of,  
'You are surprisingly sexy when you talk business, I wonder what it would be like if you took charge of me like that.' he whispered to her kissing her cheek making her smile.   
'You think you can handle me?' she said seeing him raise an eyebrow looking smug,  
'Of course any time.'   
'I'll hold you to that.' she said approaching a Spanish deli counter.

Ben sampled the delights that he was given agreeing that they liked the chorizo, three types of salami and some of the local hams and that Catherine would be in touch to decide if they wanted to place wholesale orders. They spent almost two hours sampling, buying and bargaining until Catherine was happy and Ben was surprisingly full from olives to bread and meats galore with the odd chutney thrown in and they critiqued each one.   
'I have enjoyed myself.' He said as they stowed their items in the bike.   
'I was thinking some of these things will make an excellent Spanish omelette for breakfast tomorrow.' She said making his mouth water.   
'Where to now?' He asked,  
'Well I did better here than I thought I was going to and it's getting late so...what did you have planned this evening. Not that you had to have anything planned, and if its a surprise don't tell me, I don't want to ruin anything.' She said shaking her head, 'oh bollocks that went better in my head.' She finished.   
'Well I hadn't planned anything concrete. I have tickets to see my mate which I got months ago; he's in The Tempest at The Globe. But I understand if you don't want to go. And maybe dinner afterwards? It will be a late one though, there's a somewhat shabby looking place, Italian, round the corner from me needs renovation but serves the best food I have found.' He said, then if you're still awake we...'  
'Can find a way of filling that gap.' She winked, 'The Tempest sounds great. Although I might have to Wikipedia the plot a bit. I'm not shit hot on Shakespeare, and I lose focus easily.' She said, 'sometimes I watch a play and wonder why there aren't more show tunes, musicals are more my bag, but let's give it a go, hell if I am contemplating dating an actor I'm sure I will have to learn to concentrate.' She said and he laughed,  
'Oh fuck now I'm gonna be imagining Roger bursting out into a show tune.'  
'Don't forget the jazz hands, there are always jazz hands.'  
'And crazy smiles.' He added and she nodded,  
'Would you ever do a musical?' she asked unclipping her helmet and he laughed hard,  
'With both singing and dancing?! You must be kidding me!' He said, 'wait until you have heard me before you imagine it and you'll see.' He chuckled pulling on his helmet, Catherine was glad he didn't take her too seriously because as she thought back over her conversation she worried it sounded rude, her bashing his profession saying she found plays boring knowing for a fact he loved them. Biting her lips she stayed quiet as they arrived home stowing the bike away, Ben sensed her change and ran his hands down her arms hugging her a little, 'hey what's up?' He asked,  
'I just hope you didn't think I was being rude before. When I said I don't like plays, I would love to go to the theatre with you; or watch you for that matter, and I wouldn't find you boring...I don't know what I'm trying to say.' She finished sighing.  
'Oh don't worry I know what you meant. Shakespeare is heavy going but not all plays are that wordy, and I will have to take you to some good ones see if I can't convert you, it will be fun. I love musicals as well.' He smiled kissing her. Before long their kiss had turned from soft comforting peck to full on kissing and they were wrapped up in each other kissing heavily against the front door. 'We should go inside.' He managed in a moment of sense and she nodded as he quickly opened the door. Catherine rocked on her heels for a moment,   
'At work today...you were really, good, intense but good. Good's not a strong adjective is it...masterful.' She finished and he turned to look at her,  
'Masterful?' He smirked, 'am I making you nervous all of a sudden?' And she blushed,  
'No its just this was a lot easier when I thought you didn't like me, when I could be slightly mean and rude to you and not entirely care if you took me out of context.' She admitted,  
'But that's what I like about you. You don't act different around me, you take the piss and you don't mind when I do it too. It’s refreshing your honesty please don't think you have to change because otherwise I won't like you.' He said.   
'Well ok then, but I am still gonna have to Wikipedia the play.' She said,  
'I will give you a brief run down on the way there, you ok taking the tube?' He said,  
'Yeah sure, I'm gonna have to shower first though. What are you wearing? Jeans, trousers or smart?' She asked,  
'Uh probably smart casual, I have a pair of black trousers that are comfy but smart and I am gonna have to see what's ironed for the top half.' He confessed,  
'Ok I can work with that.' She said disappearing into her room and back into the main bathroom moments later. 

Ben heard the shower go on and he paused for a moment wondering whether to give her some alone time. He crept down the stairs wondering if he should go in, he hoped that if she was using the toilet she would have locked the door. He gently tried the handle seeing it was unlocked and he pushed the door ajar peeking through seeing the bathroom empty the room filling with steam. He removed the remainder of his clothing discarding it with hers and walked to the shower poking his head round seeing she was facing away from him rinsing out her hair. Sneaking up he ran his fingers down her back, he hadn't expected her to scream quite so loud or for the effects to reverberate quite so well around the shower and he jumped too more at the noise. In the commotion she turned slipping and hitting her elbow on the tiled wall and blood began to trickle into the water from the shower staining it red.   
'Holy fuck, shit! Fuck!' She screamed, 'you scared the shit out of me!' She said, ‘ouch.’ She added looking down at her elbow,  
‘Oh shit! Sorry I should have made more noise.’ He said grabbing a flannel and holding it to her elbow,  
‘My god my heart is going so fast.’ She said placing a hand on her chest,  
‘That always works well in the movies.’ He said,  
‘Benedict you make movies!’ she said a little harsher than she should have done, Ben looked sorry,  
‘I knew I should have left you in peace, stupid!’ he said shaking his head turning to leave,  
‘Wait.’ She said placing a hand on his shoulder, leaning forward she ran a hand through his hair and down the back of his neck tracing the freckle that sat there, she kissed the same spot tasting the water droplets on his neck inhaling the scent of his skin before letting her teeth graze the spot hearing him moan a little.   
‘Do you forgive me?’ he said as she ran her fingers down the muscular planes of his shoulder blades, tracing his spine and his sides feeling his ribs tracing every single one as she whispered her naked body onto his just enough for him to feel it as she kissed the tops of his shoulders and his shoulder blades.  
‘Hmm I don’t know if I should.’ She said tracing her fingers along the bottom of his back and above his bum her fingers dipping between the cleft at the top teasing him,  
‘I should teach you a lesson.’ She said her hand splaying out over his right buttock her fingers digging in before sinking her nails in a little raking them over his wet skin,  
‘God yes…’ he moaned,  
‘Shall I show you what a woman who takes charge is like?’ she moved him round,  
‘Please yes…’ he replied,   
‘Put your hands on the wall.’ She said her voice low and dangerous and Ben did as instructed placing his palms flat on the tiled wall, ‘spread your legs.’ She added seeing him shuffle his feet apart and she pushed his feet wider with her foot, ‘good.’ She hissed in his ear, ‘are you mine?’ she said and he nodded,   
‘Yes.’   
‘Maybe I should make you mine.’ She said and he swallowed deeply wondering how far she was going to go, it proved he couldn’t judge a book by its cover and this woman was doing things to his mind and body no one had ever done. Ben felt himself respond his cock twitching in anticipation as she hovered behind him close enough for him to feel her breath on his back but not touching him. Catherine on the other hand was wondering what she was going to do, she had never been one for toys, or bondage or anything remotely S&M but Ben seemed to be enjoying the dominant her, and she surprised herself by enjoying dominating him but now she was lost. She decided to do to him what she would like done to her but was always too afraid or embarrassed to ask her previous partners.  
‘I am yours.’ He said,  
‘Maybe I should make sure everyone knows that.’ She said pulling his head back using his hair something he seemed to like earlier, without hesitation which she knew would lead to uncontrolled giggling she bit him hard at the join of his neck and his shoulder,  
‘Fuck god…shit…ahh…’ Ben moaned his breathing filling the shower and it was then that she saw how hard he had become,  
‘Hmm I think that’s a pretty good warning.’ She said kissing the spot tasting a faint splash of metallic blood in her mouth but trying not to dwell too hard. Catherine moved her kisses down his back tracing down his sides running her fingers over the soft swell of his bottom before trailing down the backs of his thighs leaving trails in his hair with her nails, slowly she skimmed down his calves before tracing lightly up the inside of his legs stopping at that crucial moment as his legs began to tremble and his knees begin to bend.   
‘God…I need…’ Catherine slapped the side of his thigh hard making Ben bite his lip,  
‘This isn’t about what you need, you’re being punished…’ she said hoping he couldn’t see her mad grin. She moved her hands to the front of his chest finding some shower gel and lathering her hands tracing them through the hair below his navel teasing across the line of his hips and up his stomach feeling it tense beneath her hands; Ben now had squeezed his eyes shut trying not to move, trying to keep his hands placed but he desperately wanted to touch her, or himself or both, he didn’t know which as his mind almost exploded. She raked her nails around his nipples not touching the sensitive peaks they had now become until he let out a soft whimper and she pressed the pads of her fingers against them rubbing his chest that was now more sensitive than it had ever been. He was leaking creamy white fluid which was beginning to drip along his length mixing with the shower water and he watched wondering how he would orgasm if she didn’t touch him but Catherine had other ideas. She pressed her index finger between the cleft of his bottom and felt him jump a little,  
‘Fuck…’ he hissed as she ran it down further,  
‘Has anyone ever touched you here before?’ she asked and Ben shook his head furiously,  
‘No…’ he gasped as she stroked across his perineum thinking thank god for Cosmo magazine,  
‘Do you want me to touch you?’ she asked knowing that otherwise she could very well ruin what they had forever, Ben paused for a long moment before his voice came in a strangled whisper,  
‘Yes…please…anything, something.’ He added and she laughed a deep wicked laugh that she had never produced before.   
‘Normally when I want to close a deal Benedict do you know what I do?’ she said teasing her soaped hands to his balls cupping them lightly before teasing him seeing his fingers press harder against the wall,  
‘No?’   
‘I argue my case; I work hard to get what I want.’ She said her finger barely touching the base of his cock and he nearly lost his mind at the slight touch,  
‘How?’ he asked his voice nearly gone,  
‘Oh I don’t know why don’t you tell me about the play?’ she smiled teasing him further,  
‘Now…really now…?!’ he squeaked,  
‘Quickly.’ She added her fingers trailing back round flicking across the puckered skin that lay there and he pushed back towards her fingers,  
‘Magician and his daughter stranded on an island he’s the duke of – holy fuck,’ he said as she kissed his bum her tongue tracing down the top of his cleft,   
‘And…’  
‘Milan. Magician is helped by a spirit who – mmm there again, god…’ he mumbled as she kissed lower one hand moving back to his balls, but she stopped again waiting for him to resume, ‘who he promises to release from servitude. He raises a temp…’ Ben stopped for a moment as her index finger swirled gently around his hole and he couldn’t think,  
‘Temp…’ she said,  
‘Est.’ he finished, ‘I want you to.’ He added and she waited again,  
‘The king of Naples, the bad brother and some other people end up on the island, they all get split up and then the play follows them all, they all reunite, all forgive each other, hurrah, the end.’ He said with Sherlock like speed and Catherine smiled. Ben couldn’t take it any more and his hand reached down his long fingers wrapping around his length that was so hard it was painful to stand. No sooner than he did it he winced from the sting of Catherine’s hand smacking him hard on the ass,  
‘Hands on the wall!’ she said sternly and he obeyed,  
‘For that I won’t touch you now, you will have to cum this way or not at all.’ She said her fingers trailing over him again and he tensed, ‘relax I won’t kill you.’ She said kissing the burning pain from his buttock her wet slick fingers sliding over him, she pressed an index finger inside him and he stilled for a moment having never experienced it he thought it would be more painful but it wasn’t, only when a second finger breached his walls did he feel a stretch that he knew might leave him a little sore.  
‘Catherine, Jesus, god, more.’ He begged his head now lulling against the tiled surface and she slid her fingers in finding that sweet spot that made his body jerk.   
‘You pitched well so you get what you need.’ She said rubbing her fingers back and forth over the smooth surface of his prostate his legs tensing beyond belief his hands balling into fists on the wall. Ben felt something deep inside of him that he had never felt, his orgasm almost knocked him to the ground, he wasn’t expecting it and his body that was tense relaxed in an instant and he dropped to his knees letting out a sound that had it have been heard might of resembled him being murdered. Catherine caught his body as she barely got her hand out of the way in time so as not to do him some serious damage and held him to her, reaching round she took hold of his still erect cock and stroked it gently seeing the wall already covered,  
‘Shit, wait…again…I’m gonna…’ he said as he came again spilling into her hand his head falling back onto her shoulder. Silence passed for a moment as Catherine washed up washing down her body for a moment before turning her attentions to Ben picking up a cloth and washing his body slowly and meticulously before his eyes opened focussing on her,  
‘Hello.’ She said,  
‘Did I die? Was that heaven? It felt like heaven.’ He said leaning forward to lazily kiss her lips, he gripped her legs pulling her into his lap a little as she washed his hair ignoring the fact they were now sitting in the bottom of the vast shower the rainfall head covering them both nicely. As her fingers rinsed his hair she felt his fingers sneak up between her legs that were open due mostly to her current position; Ben slipped his fingers inside her folds finding her soaking wet,  
‘Definitely still alive.’ She said arching her back a little,  
‘It seems you enjoyed it too.’ He said his fingers making quick work of her orgasm until her moans filled the air. ‘Thank you.’ He said as she finally dragged him up allowing them to both rinse off,  
‘Maybe one day you will return the favour in some way or another.’ She said wrapping a towel around herself and sauntering to the bedroom leaving Ben to contemplate what he would do in return.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nice bit of gentle fluffy stuff

Ben dragged himself back up the stairs to his room trying to make his legs work feeling a little embarrassed, here was a woman he had known for barely a few weeks and yet he was telling her his deepest sexual secrets, although he was pleased she hadn’t laughed at him he wasn’t sure how bold be was going to be if he had to reciprocate or what he would do so he made a mental note to do some internet research. As he pulled on some underwear he felt the back of his thighs pull a little and he reached down rubbing one,  
‘I am gonna have to start stretching.’ He said shaking his head at the thought of having to warm up for sex, ‘age does come to us all.’ He sighed looking in the mirror looking every one of his thirty six years and he thought how old do you have to be when you need to stop burning the candle at both ends for the sake of your health. Rummaging through his wardrobe he found some black fitted trousers and pulled them on finding some clean socks maroon with white spots and then opened his drawers giving up on finding a clean t-shirt he opened his wardrobe pulling out a few shirts holding them up before shoving them all back in, ‘buggar.’ He said to himself opening it again and pulling out a bright checked shirt coloured with pinks, purples and light blues, it was creased but it was clean and he checked it against his trousers satisfied that it went enough before wandering downstairs to try and find his ironing board. Catherine was looking at three outfits she had placed on the bed chewing on her index finger trying to decide between jeans and a smartish looking t-shirt, a dress that she thought was far too formal and a pair of skinny royal blue trousers and a creamy coloured sleeveless top with some sequined detail on the neckline.   
‘Oh fuck it.’ She said pulling on a white bra and pulling on the cream top trying to decide between the jeans and the trousers. She pulled her black jeans on and looked in the mirror; unzipping them she pushed them off and pulled on the royal blue trousers hoping they still fit. They were the only moderately stylish thing she owned and she hadn’t put them on in over a year and she smiled when they fit comfortably only problem was she didn’t like the top, ‘damn it.’ She said tossing some things aside in her suitcase; she seemed to have packed half of her wardrobe but nothing was working as she tried on all of her tops, finally she pulled on a white vest and looked in the mirror frowning for a moment before tucking it in and looking triumphant for a moment; scrabbling around she found a black fitted blazer and pulled it on over the top pushing the sleeves up out of the way and added some bangles to one wrist finding a long pendant she pulled it over her head letting the hammered heart sway between her breasts. She quickly smudged on some eye shadow and some mascara and found some lipgloss that went mostly with the look and grabbed a black clutch heading downstairs. She found Ben shirtless his head in the under stairs cupboard,  
‘What are you doing?’ she asked,  
‘I am trying to wrestle the ironing board out but it’s become stubborn with disuse.’ He said finally yanking it free almost knocking them both over, ‘son of a bitch.’ He said rubbing his hand where it had been jammed against the door frame. Turning round he finally looked at her, ‘wow you look amazing.’ He said looking her up and down,  
‘This was the twentieth choice.’ She said honestly, ‘I am amazed these still fit I haven’t put them on in over a year.’ She said, ‘oh do you mind if I wear these?’ she said holding up a pair of heels.  
‘Why would I mind?’ he asked,  
‘Well…’ she put one on and stood on it her head moving past his, ‘they make me a bit tall.’ She said,  
‘Oh that doesn’t bother me, I’m pretty comfortable with my height these days, and I’m not exactly short.’ He added,  
‘Well fair point…are you going to wear that?’ she asked as he went to iron his shirt pausing and looking up at her,  
‘Uh well yes.’ He replied, ‘why?’   
‘I like your eccentric fashion sense but that doesn’t really…well I wouldn’t…for the theatre…’ she said trying to think of a non-offensive way of saying it,  
‘I’m gonna be honest this was the best I could come up with from the options available, but I will be the first to hold my hands up and say I’m not the best at dressing myself so if you can find something better I will wear it.’ He said indicating the way to his room. Catherine stood in front of his wardrobe looking back and forth before turning and looking him up and down she paced back to his chest of drawers and pulled a pair of navy casual trousers from the top,  
‘How clean are these?’ she said and Ben opened them up,  
‘Worn them once.’ He said,  
‘Right put them on then.’ She said disappearing into his wardrobe before holding out a dark black blue velvet blazer, ‘does this still fit?’ she asked and Ben took it off her pulling it on holding out his arms,  
‘Uh yeah…’ he said taking it off. Accepting the white shirt she held out for him,   
‘Put that on for me.’ She said and he did as he was told doing it up and tucking it in.  
‘Does this fit?’ she asked finding a grey waistcoat,  
‘Bloody hell is that even mine?’ he said holding it up spinning it around before slipping it on and doing it up surprised that it fit,  
‘Ok give me the jacket back.’ She said hanging it up again and putting it back before shuffling a pair of black shoes at him, ‘shit sorry put the black ones back on.’ She said and Ben rolled his eyes, ‘don’t roll your eyes at me young man.’ She said as he changed his trousers doing up the waistcoat and pulling it down Catherine smoothed his hair back into place pushing it back off of his forehead and looked around finding some of his hair products grabbing some and pushing some into his hair taming the damage done by the downstairs cupboard turning him round to face the mirror, ‘ta daa.’ She said trying to smooth his hair again until she was satisfied,  
‘Oh wow, no that is good.’ He said leaning forward seeing the waistcoat accentuate his chest and his arms that were still thankfully a little toned, ‘maybe you should be my stylist.’ He joked,  
‘Good god I would have to learn to dress myself first.’ She said, ‘come on otherwise we are going to be late.’ She said thankful that the weather had turned dry and warm.

***

They walked hand in hand from the tube station to the theatre strolling along the south bank in the disappearing spring sunshine before reaching The Globe, Ben produced the tickets from his pocket and was ushered inside by a man in a suit before they could be seen by the milling crowds,   
‘Can I get either of you a drink?’ he asked as they were taken to their seats in the middle gallery slightly to the right of centre and they positioned themselves on the end of the front row,  
‘Wow these are good seats.’ Catherine said, ‘oh umm can I have a bottle of water please and a gin and tonic.’ She asked,  
‘Same for me thanks.’ Ben agreed and the man nodded, they both watched as the theatre began to fill and Ben was thankful most people hadn’t noticed him,  
‘Ooh more eccentric than you.’ Catherine whispered as she motioned to a person dressed head to toe in maroon velvet accompanied by a woman with purple hair. Ben chuckled,  
‘We arty people you know…crazy…’ he said and they giggled stopping as their drinks arrived, ‘thanks.’ He said taking them from the man and passing one across,   
‘So that synopsis you gave me…’ Ben blushed,  
‘Ah yes I was wondering if you would remember that. I would like to say I have never…done that before…’ he said,  
‘What summarised a play in less words than Spark Notes?’ she grinned,  
‘No I mean…’  
‘I know I am teasing you silly…me neither.’ She said, ‘but I have kind of always wanted to; that day in the lake when you, when we, I have never wanted anyone to before but now I kind of want to try it. Not crazy shit. Let’s make that clear I’m not going 50 shades of grey but I’m open to trying some things if you are.’ She said and Ben bit his lip,  
‘Ok well that’s good. I have never…either. Olivia, my ex, we were very oh what’s the buzz word these days?’ he thought,  
‘Vanilla.’ She offered,  
‘Yes that’s it. I think two rooms and five positions were our limit.’   
‘How dull, my thought is if you can get into the position you might as well try it, and as for rooms well as long as you own the house do it wherever you damn well please.’ She said and he relaxed a little,  
‘So what about your exes…’ he asked knowing it hadn’t come up.  
‘I was wondering about when you were going to ask.’ She said,  
‘God that’s nosy and rude of me, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to…’ he said gulping some of his drink.  
‘Oh it doesn’t bother me, you want the short version?’   
‘I don’t mind.’ He said now worried at just how many exes there were.  
‘Well there was James when I was seventeen, I started late and he came to quickly so he went the year I went to uni, then there was Tom, student and cricket player extraordinaire but he was like all twenty year olds a complete immature twat but the sex was fun so he lasted two years and we both taught each other a few tricks. My final year of uni I was far too busy, then getting a job. Then there was David he was somewhat older and so mum and grampie stamped that out and set me up with Jim who was the person they wanted, needless to say he was dull as dishwater in every aspect of life. Then there was…’ Ben watched as her mouth turned into a thin angry line,  
‘You don’t have too…’  
‘No then there was Dean. A…colleague…who I was with for three years. What he neglected to tell me was that he had a long term girlfriend in the country, where he used to go and visit his “elderly mother” on the weekends, needless to say a friend found out that he was in fact married with a kid.’ She said, ‘I was furious and then mum got sick and my job was over and so I moved back home and haven’t really seen anyone since.’ She said, ‘in a nutshell.’ She added as the lights began to dim. ‘Oh look its starting let’s see how right you were.’ She smiled but he knew this time it was fake that this man had deeply hurt her but he didn’t want to press her so he settled in to watch the opening scene his mind trying to focus. Catherine watched the actors enter the stage and she tried to concentrate knowing that otherwise she wouldn’t have a clue what was going on she lent into Ben her eyes following the men as they acted out a terrible shipwreck. Catherine tried to follow the plot as the audience swooned and laughed with the events being depicted; Ben smiled watching Catherine’s frown her body leaning forward her eyes narrowed in concentration as she bit into the soft part of her thumb; with moments to go before the interval she lent back tapping him on the leg,  
‘Hmm.’ He whispered and she smiled at him,  
‘I get it now…he’s the mean one right, and it was his entire fault and that’s the couple in love, those are the two despairing nobles and those are off to do some exploring.’ She said and Ben nodded as she pointed to the right people the curtain closed to applause and Catherine turned back, ‘and they are stopping.’ She added,  
‘Intermission.’ Ben said, ‘look are you actually enjoying this because we can go home.’ He said,  
‘We can’t leave now I just got what was going on; you know your summary wasn’t very good.’ She said folding her arms, ‘and why couldn’t he have written it in English.’ She said making Ben chuckle,  
‘Well that was English.’ He said and she just looked at him, ‘come on I’ll get you a drink.’ He added,  
‘You better make it a strong one if I have to decrypt a second half.’ She said following him down into the lobby following him as he weaved to the bar,  
‘What can I get you?’ he turned going to put his hand on her arm but she stepped back and he frowned looking up at her face and she flicked her eyes tilting her head to the left, Ben glanced seeing a man pointing a camera at them and he swivelled his eyes back raising his eyebrows ever so slightly at her before turning to the bar and she did the same,  
‘I didn’t think you wanted a picture in the Daily Mail.’ She said,  
‘Probably right.’ He said and she ordered her drink as did he paying for them both and sliding hers across hidden by his body and she sipped it,   
‘So what do we do now, we can’t just stand here all night.’ She said,  
‘Backstage.’ He said pointing to the right his hand obscured, Catherine looked at a small door off to the right of the bar,  
‘That’s a fire exit.’ She said quietly,  
‘Trust me it’s not.’ He said as he nudged her to one side and she followed him as he ducked into the crowd getting to the door he pushed it open feeling it swing shut behind them and he turned taking her hand, Catherine glanced around the almost pitch black corridor,   
‘Are you abducting me?’ she asked giggling and he smiled at her stopping leaning her into the wall cupping her face with one hand,  
‘Would you like to be abducted?’ he said in a voice so low her legs gave way a little but he held her against the wall with his body, she nodded licking her lips and he lent in his eyes flicking down her face, he tilted his head his lips almost brushing hers before he took a breath pulling away, ‘but we don’t want to miss the rest of the play.’ He went to walk away but she grabbed his elbow pulling him back before moving her hand to his neck pulling his mouth to hers engulfing them in a wet kiss her tongue seeking entry into his mouth which he willingly obliged. Ben’s hand slid into the small of her back his other hand firmly on his drink as they kissed passionately in the semi-darkness; they both became aware of voices growing closer and they pulled apart glancing down the corridor just in time a group of crew members walking past carrying props.   
‘Now we really should be getting back.’ She said and he stole another quick kiss from her,   
‘We have time come on.’ He said taking her hand and weaving his way down a few passages until they emerged into the light of a corridor now teaming with people, he weaved his way nodding and waving at a few people until they reached a door with a number one on it and he knocked,  
‘Come in.’ the voice on the other side bellowed and Ben whipped the door open sliding in pulling Catherine with him, ‘Ben my dear boy hello!’ a man with a long grey beard said getting up and embracing Ben tightly who barely managed to get his drink out of the way and onto the table in front of them,  
‘Roger,’ Ben replied hugging him back slapping him on the back a little kissing his cheek receiving one in return; Catherine watched the exchange with a smile on her face, ‘you are of course amazing but you already know that.’ He said leaning back and roger caught sight of Catherine,  
‘Well well well who is this exquisite creature?’ he asked extending his hand and Catherine gave him hers blushing furiously as he bent and kissed it,   
‘Hi, I’m Catherine.’ She replied bashfully,  
‘Roger, very pleased to meet you, so I can merely assume you’re Ben’s date?’ he said and she flushed even redder,  
‘Well I umm…suppose so but its not…were not…’ she struggled to explain,  
‘What she’s trying to say is that it is all rather new so we are trying to keep the cat firmly in the bag, but yes,’ Ben wrapped an arm round her waist, ‘she is my date.’ He finished kissing her on the cheek. Roger clapped his hands together,  
‘Well you must tell me how you met. What are you two doing after the play?’ he asked,  
‘We were going to grab dinner at that little Italian round the corner from mine.’ Ben said,  
‘I don’t want to be a third wheel if you are trying to get your leg over.’ Roger elbowed Ben, who gave him a look,  
‘I would love to know more about Ben’s friends…and he did invite you to come see him it’s the least you could do to buy him dinner.’ She said,  
‘You know Benedict she’s right it’s the least you could do.’ He said grinning wickedly,  
‘On your head be it.’ Ben said, ‘we will be at the stage door, don’t take an age to change.’ He warned him and roger crossed his heart,  
‘Must be off lead role and all that.’ He said, ‘until next time.’ He smiled at Catherine exiting the room.   
‘Well he’s unique.’ She said, ‘he seems fun, how do you know him?’ she asked as they made their way back to their seats just in time,  
‘I work with him on a radio play called Cabin Pressure and I worked with him on Parade’s End you know the book you saw with my face on.’  
‘I know I have the DVD remember.’ She said, ‘just haven’t had time to watch it.’   
‘Ah yes how could I forget.’ He mused and the conversation halted as the lights went down.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Its a short one, but it had a natural end point. Ignore the spelling, I was drunk typing...

Catherine frowned,  
‘I don’t get it.’ She said swivelling to Ben as everyone began to filter out,  
‘Which bit don’t you get?’ he said,  
‘So all that,’ she waved her arm towards the stage, ‘was over three days and poof the boat is fixed, weather on their side and off they go.’ she said,  
‘Umm sort of in a nutshell.’ He said, Catherine made a mildly derogatory noise and sat back in her chair her arms folded,  
‘Well that’s a shit ending.’ She said, Ben laughed,  
‘I’ll be sure to tell Will that the next time I see him.’ He replied,   
‘Three hours!’ she added, ‘to reach that conclusion, I could have wrapped it up in one and a half, two max.’ she said picking up her bag,  
‘So no more Shakespeare then?’ Ben said,  
‘Well find me a better one than that and you might be on.’ She shook her head making her way to the stairs Ben just followed her totally amused and all the more smitten.  
‘You looked like you were enjoying it.’ He added,  
‘Oh I was its like watching a film with a complex plot in French that you finally get into and then it has a disappointing ending, totally pees me off.’ She added following Ben across the lobby, ‘speaking of peeing I am gonna have to go far too much water.’ She said and he waited dutifully in the corner. Catherine queued patiently before using the facilities and freshening up her lipgloss running a hand through her hair that was frizzing on cue before slipping back out into the lobby she saw that Ben had been noticed and a small group of people had formed around him so she hung back patiently until he had satisfied their photographs and autographs; Catherine had slipped outside and sent him a quick text telling him that she was standing off to the right a few minutes later he finally managed to join her and they made a break for the stage door.   
‘You’re very good about the fans.’ He said,  
‘Oh it’s fine I mean they are overwhelmed to see you so they don’t want your attention split, so I just keep out of the way. Its part of your life now so I suppose you just have to deal with it graciously and hope that they don’t want to keep you forever.’   
‘Nah not forever, there is only going to be one forever.’ He said wondering why the words tumbled from his mouth.   
‘So if you don’t mind me asking, why didn’t you marry Olivia?’ she said and Ben shrugged,  
‘It never seemed the right time. At first it was because we were students, then we were poor jobless actors, then too busy, then we broke up and got back together because I think it was just easier, and I suppose I didn’t trust her for a while after that. I was thinking about it, I thought I might not ever find anyone else who just loves the real me so I looked at rings, by this time we had a house and I had jobs lined up, it was the right time to have kids and then she blindsided me and said she wanted to break up. She couldn’t handle all the time we were spending apart.’ He said,  
‘That’s bullshit.’ Catherine said and Ben looked at her, ‘come on you had been together twelve years that’s longer than most marriages and she couldn’t handle you being away for a few months its bollocks.’   
‘Yeah you’re right I suppose it was.’ He said,  
‘Maybe it was a combination of jealousy and I don’t know sometimes these things just run their course sometimes the love isn’t there anymore.’ She said.  
‘That’s actually a reasonable explanation, either way just as I was ready for marriage and babies she dumped me. Then the next one wasn’t right either and then here I am.’ He said,   
‘Looks like we both had our run of shit luck, maybe it’s time for a change.’ She said distracted as Roger made his way out of the stage door.   
‘Wow that was quicker than I expected.’ Ben said checking his watch, ‘tube or cab?’ he asked,  
‘Fuck it I have been standing up for three hours, taxi, lead on McDuff.’ He said and Ben shook his head,  
‘Remember best behaviour I don’t want to scare her away.’ Ben said as they made their way towards the taxi rank at London Bridge. 

As they piled into a taxi and Ben gave the driver the address he buckled his seat belt nervously, he had purposefully avoided introducing Catherine to his friends and was proud that he had managed to get her away from Martin so quickly that morning.   
‘So tell me everything about you, because Ben has negated to tell me a thing, in fact that you even existed.’ He said smiling,  
‘Well I live in Chipping Norton I own and run a bakery which I have done for the past six years, and I have recently bought the shop next door and plan to turn that into a café. I live just down the road from Wanda and Tim so that’s sort of how Ben and I met, they tasked me with looking after their house when they went away didn’t seem to inform Ben who came to visit them for the weekend. I thought someone had broken in so I went at him with a cricket bat.’ She said, ‘and then we got chatting and I showed him the dizzying heights of Chipping Norton, Ben repaid the favour with a few days in Oxford which was nice for me because I hadn’t been there for a while. I am down doing some business tying up some bank loans and mortgages etcetera and I needed to source some suppliers so I am using Ben’s spare room as a hostel.’ She said. ‘Oh yes I forgot to mention that I used to be a banker of sorts.’ She said and Roger recoiled in mock disgust, ‘tell me about it, I worked for one of those ginormous don’t give a shit consultancy corporations in the city until I was 27.’   
‘What was your field of expertise?’ he asked,  
‘I was third down of international business management and finance.’  
‘God that sounds dull.’ He said smiling,  
‘Oh believe me it was but it was easy for me I suppose, maths to me is the easiest thing in the world combined with apparently my innate ability to be a hardcore ball breaker and the fact I learnt French, Arabic and Mandarin at school and university meant that it was the job I was made for.’ She said.   
‘The three languages of business?’ he asked,  
‘Arabic and Mandarin yes French was just something to get me extra credit at the A Level stage I suppose.’ Ben looked impressed and had wondered how he didn’t know these things about her yet,   
‘So dare I ask then, how come you own a bakery? It seems like a bit of a career difference.’ He said,  
‘Well my mum owned a small arts and crafts shop which I ended up running when I moved back to the country and it was a dive, pouring money out like a leaky sieve so I had always known how to bake and always enjoyed it, joked that I would open a bakery. One of my friends suggested I started baking classes which I did and then it came off the back of that; its great for me I do my own taxes, employment, management and business plans and no bank manager has said no to me yet.’ She said,  
‘You should go on The Apprentice.’ Ben suggested and she smiled.   
‘So what is an intelligent, good looking woman like yourself doing with this second rate two bit scruffy actor then?’ he teased and Ben sighed,  
‘Oh here we go.’ He said and Catherine giggled,  
‘Well where do I start…he’s funny, kind, generous, good looking, he’s pretty smart too…oh yeah and posh, rich and lets not forget my first impression was formed by seeing him stark naked and sunburnt.’ She said and Ben went bright red,  
‘You sly devil so that’s how you woo the ladies.’ He nudged Ben, who sunk further into the chair,  
‘No he’s god this sounds crap, he’s nice, he’s the type of guy I have been looking for for the past ten years.’ She said honestly and smiled sweetly at Ben.   
‘Hurrah for the nice guys.’ Roger said,  
‘So tell me how long have you two known each other?’ Catherine asked,  
‘Ah yes I met Benny boy here through his mother who introduced us through a mutual friend when you must have been god twenty odd and a young sprat skinny as a rake with a face he hadn’t grown into and a lisp that was as thick as treacle.’ Roger said and Ben just grumbled to himself as Catherine cooed,  
‘Aww that’s a cute image.’ She said,  
‘Then we really became friends when we both signed on to this radio play a comedy about flying a very small airplane it’s a scream I have to admit.’  
‘It is some of the best fun I have all year.’ Ben agreed,  
‘I will have to listen to it.’ She agreed, as they all piled out of the car and into the restaurant quickly finding a table and ordering some wine and food the conversation getting back into full swing.   
‘Where was I…’  
‘Embarrassing me.’ Ben said,  
‘Ah yes so we have done four series so far and who knows if they will want more. Then we all had a jaunt off to Belgium to have a go at playing soldiers and then we meet up from time to time when he isn’t too busy off being a mega star.’ He said,  
‘Wow that’s cool, it’s nice to meet someone who has known him for so long. I think he is hiding me from his friends, maybe I embarrass him.’ She mused,  
‘Oh no dear it’s because he knows we will certainly embarrass him.’ Roger said refilling their wine glasses. ‘So tell me Ben how’s Sherlock going?’ he asked and Ben stopped eating for a moment to talk,  
‘It’s going really well we are just about half way through the second episode, then come the end of May, beginning of June Martin is off to New Zealand to finish off the hobbit, I have a bit of Star Trek promotion to do and then we all start again in August. Third episode should be done and dusted in about 4 weeks and then I presume air about December time.’ He said,   
‘Excellent, didn’t I read something about Turing?’ he asked,  
‘God I have no idea when we are going to film that, Adam wants to get together to do a small independent so we are going to try and do that in June, Julyish and then I have some animation to do. So I guess that will be end of this year beginning of the next, then there is this weird horror thing I have landed the role in which clashes a bit.’ He said.  
‘Bloody hell don’t stretch yourself too thin.’ Roger said, ‘when are we going to do a play together?’ he asked and Ben shrugged,  
‘Christ knows, I want it to be next year but at this rate it could be a few years till I’m back on stage which is killing me more than you know, the best hope I have is if Danny gets Frankenstein to Broadway, even then I have to find time to complete the run.’ He said and roger nodded.  
‘True.’ He countered. Catherine imagined what it would be like to live life with Ben as he raced around the world, she tried to imagine him on stage what he would be like, she knew he was already amazing on the small screen, she was yet to see him on the big screen and she could only imagine how good he would be on stage.   
‘Sorry this is boring us talking shop.’ He said and she snapped back to reality realising they had been talking for a good ten minutes.  
‘No I was miles away.’ She said sipping her wine, ‘sorry I will focus I promise.’ She said. The rest of the meal consisted of anecdotal stories and two old friends catching up before they paid the bill and headed home well past closing. Roger bid them farewell giving them both enthusiastic hugs before disappearing into a taxi,  
‘Shall we walk? Sober us up a little?’ Ben asked and Catherine nodded, ‘do you mind if I shorten your name?’ he asked suddenly,  
‘Christ no I am amazed you haven’t already, as long as it’s not Kath I don’t mind.’ She said,  
‘Well what do you prefer?’ he said,  
‘Well there’s Cat, Kate, Cathy, Rinnie, my nan used to call me Ninnie heaven knows why. Alice from work calls me Cathy so she doesn’t mix me up with Kate her daughter, but most people stick to Cat or Kate so pick one and go with it. I suppose more Cat recently.’ She mused,  
‘Cat I can work with that.’ He said as they reached the front door letting them in,  
‘I don’t want to seem rude but I think I might be off to bed.’ She said getting herself a glass of water,  
‘Where are you going to sleep?’ he asked,  
‘Umm well that’s a good point.’ She said,   
‘You can sleep with me, just sleep I mean.’ He replied quickly,   
‘Ok I’ll get my toothbrush.’ She said as they walked up the stairs, she ducked quickly into the bathroom following him to the second landing.  
‘I will be through in a minute just need to send a few quick emails from my computer.’ He said padding to his study. When he emerged twenty minutes later he found Catherine curled up on one side of the bed her bum sticking out backwards as she snored softly he noted she had stolen one of his t-shirts, he brushed his teeth quickly pulling off his clothes leaving just his underwear before slipping between the sheets; he slowly moved towards her until his legs were resting against hers and he felt her shuffle back her body slotting against his. Ben tucked his arm over her resting his head down feeling himself falling asleep, he heard her whisper,  
‘Night Ben.’ And he smiled,  
‘Night.’ He said just as softly before they both fell asleep.


	21. Chapter 21

Ben felt some hands run down his chest and he took a moment to realise he wasn’t dreaming, only then did he realise the heavy weight resting down on his hips pressing into his erection that was becoming fully apparent.   
‘Morning.’ He croaked his head a little fuzzy,  
‘Hello gorgeous.’ Catherine said smiling down at him,  
‘Having fun up there?’ he asked as she played with his chest hair tracing her fingers between all the moles on his chest and down across his stomach,  
‘You weren’t awake so I decided to play join the dots whilst I waited.’ She said her hands moving lower still and he tensed by reflex.   
‘Well do you want to join me down here?’ he said his hands trailing up her bare thighs disappearing under his t-shirt realising she wasn’t wearing any underwear as his fingers trailed across her bare bottom,  
‘I hope you didn’t mind, I borrowed this.’ She said,  
‘Very selfish of you I think I should reclaim it.’ He said sitting up a little dragging the material over her head and tossing it aside seeing her hair fall across her shoulders. ‘Much better.’ He finished seeing her smile wickedly. She lent forwards pressing a closed mouth kiss to his lips as he slid his hands through her hair and down her back pulling her down with him.   
‘I had fun last night.’ She said as he kissed her neck gently inhaling the scent of her dwindling perfume before she claimed his lips in a slow languid kiss neither of them in a hurry. She let her legs slip down the bed her body lying on top of his as their hands explored each other, Ben let his palms wander across her lower back, the outside of her thighs and her bottom. He kissed her shoulders, neck and décolletage as she did the same her lips kissing his chest running along his collar bones as she gazed into his bright blue eyes, ‘your eyes are very blue today.’ She said smiling,  
‘Really?’ he asked bemused,  
‘Yeah they are really blue when you are happy, they are a bit green-grey when you are tired or angry and when you’re horny they go really green-blue.’ She said and he smiled, ‘and they look brown from certain angle occasionally.’ She added, Ben took a moment to really study her eyes, they were an unusual hue of green almost emerald with a bronze-gold ring around her iris and they suited her pale skin and dark brown hair well,  
‘Yours are just mesmerising.’ He said ‘they go dark when you are angry or tired and so bright emerald in colour when you’re happy.’ He added and she kissed him again, ‘why would anyone want to break your heart like that man did?’ he said quietly,  
‘It’s in the past he was an idiot and I knew I shouldn’t have gotten involved with someone at work.’ she said as he rolled her over a little his body gently leaning down on hers. He felt her hand stroke down his back until she reached his bum cupping it a little squeezing gently; Ben bent his head to kiss her his tongue flicking against hers. Before long she was pushing at his underwear sliding it down over his thighs before running her hand up to cup his length feeling him harden at her touch, his eyes closed a little looking at her through heavy lids, ‘you wouldn’t break my heart would you?’ she whispered as his hands slipped down her body his fingers trailing through her soft curls until he found her dripping wet ready for him. He allowed his fingers to slip over the small nub of flesh until she arched her back; he kissed her breastbone his lips moving up to her neck as she stroked him up and down,   
‘You think I would break your heart?’ he said his voice almost a growl in her ear. She shook her head her fingers gripping him tighter for a moment before he moved her hand away rolling on the condom he had dug out of the packet on the nightstand.   
‘No you wouldn’t…’ she gasped opening her legs a little wider as he slipped in between them holding himself up on his forearms. He felt Catherine wind her arm under his the other resting on his hip as he slid slowly into her stretching her more than any other time, ‘holy crap.’ She breathed clenching her teeth as Ben stilled,  
‘You ok?’ he asked and she nodded exhaling a little,  
‘That’s bigger than I remember.’ She said quietly,  
‘Do you want to move?’ he asked and she shook her head,  
‘I want you to move though.’ She breathed the hot air hitting the tip of his nose; Ben did as obliged sliding out almost fully before slowly rocking back in to the hilt her hands tightening where they sat. he gazed down at her face watching every emotion flicker across it, the way she bit her lip, her tongue flicking out to moisten the dry skin; how she squeezed her eyes tight shut before relaxing again,  
‘Look at me.’ He commanded and she obliged flicking her eyes open, ‘I want to know what colour they turn.’ He smiled and she smiled lazily back. Catherine got caught up watching his face tracing every freckle, every smile line at the side of his eyes, the small dimples in his cheeks where he smiled at her lovingly and she returned his chaste kisses before letting her tongue drift to his. Her orgasm took her by surprise as she felt her body contract her fingers digging in a little harder than she could help and Ben kissed her chin as her head titled back,  
‘Shit…sorry…’ she said before the words turned into a moan and he laughed slightly,  
‘It’s…ok…I’m…’ he grunted a little feeling his own catching up with him and he gripped the pillow next to her head the other hand holding her thigh still. They came down panting into each other’s necks Catherine’s hand lazily tracing circles on Ben’s back as they recovered,  
‘You know I think I might be falling for you.’ She said into his ear. Ben smiled kissing her shoulder before leaning back extracting himself and rolling onto his side accepting the tissue she reached out to get him and removing his protection placing it aside for a moment. He let his free hand move to cup her face and he stroked her cheek tenderly,  
‘I fell for you the moment you clattered your way into my life.’ He said and she giggled blushing,  
‘You were so sunburnt…and so naked.’ She said,  
‘I assumed an upstanding young woman like yourself wouldn’t have looked.’ He said,  
‘Oh I looked.’ She wiggled her eyebrows, ‘and I snuck a look at the other side as well.’ She added and he poked the end of her nose,  
‘Cheeky.’ He said,  
‘I don’t want to go home today.’ She sighed,  
‘Then don’t, stay here.’ He pleaded pouting a little,  
‘I wish I could but I honestly have so much work to do I can’t.’ she replied, ‘and I don’t know the next time I am gonna get to come down either, and you are working so much.’ She sighed again,  
‘We are just going to have to find some time, we aren’t that far away from each other people have made it work over longer distances.’ He said trying not to let the tears well up in his eyes knowing that if he didn’t fight he could lose her in this moment.   
‘I own my business god damn it and I haven’t taken time off for ever and a day so maybe I will have to take some days off and come and see you.’ She said, ‘come on lets not talk about this any more we have a whole day to spend together yet and breakfast to make.’  
‘I’m starving.’ Ben confirmed and she grinned at him sitting up and looking around finding Ben’s t-shirt and slipping on some pants feeling the length just about skim half way down her bottom,   
‘That’s the one problem with being tall.’ She moaned as Ben ran his hand across her bum,  
‘I see no problem.’ He said finding himself some underwear and a grey t-shirt pulling them on,  
‘Small women look cute in their boyfriend’s t-shirts that swamp them, yours fits worryingly comfortably and is barely long enough.’ She said and Ben turned her round to face him,  
‘I don’t want you to be cute and tiny, I like you just as you are, I like your long legs and…’  
‘My manly shoulders.’ She smiled,  
‘Absolutely.’ Ben made a bemused face, ‘and the fact we would be equally matched in fight.’ He teased, ‘I told you the other day it doesn’t bother me if you wear heels well most of the women I have dated have been on the taller side so it’s obviously my type or whatever you call it.’ He said shrugging,  
‘Well in that case.’ She said walking towards the stairs,  
‘And what pray tell is your type?’ he asked pinching her bottom as she reached the bottom of the stairs turning down the hallway,  
‘Oh you know rugged, tall, handsome…’ she teased almost skipping into the kitchen and Ben laughed,  
‘So not me then.’ He said,  
‘I don’t know, you are tall.’ She wrapped her arms around his neck kissing one cheek, ‘handsome.’ She kissed the other, ‘and two out of three ain’t bad.’ She kissed his lips smiling as he raised an eyebrow,  
‘Rude.’ He poked his tongue out as he made his way to the kettle.

Ben watched as she rummaged around his fridge collecting all of the items they brought yesterday. She cut up some cold potatoes, unpacked the chorizo, peppers and tomatoes.  
‘Do you mind chopping those?’ she asked and he nodded grabbing a knife and chopping the chorizo first sliding it towards her and seeing her drop it into the pan with the potatoes, he did the same with the pepper, an onion and she tossed them in as well stirring every so often finding some eggs whipping them in a bowl,  
‘That smells amazing.’ He said finally chopping his tomatoes and sliding them in and his stomach growled, ‘do you want coffee or tea?’ he asked,  
‘Umm tea please.’ She said and he got a pot out heating it before spooning in the tea leaves and pouring on the water giving it a stir. Catherine finished off the Spanish omelette popping it under the grill to cook the top putting away the remainder of the cheese and chorizo in the fridge for Ben to eat some other time. ‘Do you want anything else with this?’ she asked,   
‘Like?’ he asked,  
‘God anything, pancakes, bacon?’  
‘Are you trying to feed me up?’ he said kissing the tip of her nose.  
‘You’re so skinny.’ She hugged him breathing in his scent trying to commit it to memory.   
‘I know I hate it more than you believe me.’ He said moving away from her pouring the tea and setting it down on the table with two plates and some knives and forks; Catherine joined him at the table tipping out the omelette onto a plate and finding something to serve it with putting a hefty portion on his plate a smaller one on her own and he gave her a look,   
‘Humour me.’ She said and he rolled his eyes tucking in knowing he couldn’t resist her cooking. ‘You know they say a way to man’s heart is through his stomach.’ She said off hand,  
‘Then you have certainly captured mine.’ He replied sipping his tea, ‘so is there anything you would like to do today? You aren’t new to this city so I can’t offer you the sightseeing tour. There is a new exhibition at the British Museum and one at the V&A. Umm there is always the zoo, or we could go for a walk – anywhere – the common, a park. Whatever you want.’ He said, ‘and I thought I would cook you dinner before you go if you can stay that late.’ He said,  
‘Ben calm down.’ She said, ‘and of course I will stay for dinner, I would love to try your cooking.’ She said,  
‘It will be Tuscan chicken because that is both the thing I know how to cook best and the only thing that turns out right when I cook.’ He smiled,  
‘And as for what we can do is it supposed to rain?’ she asked, Ben checked his phone,  
‘Nope cloudy for most of the day with a bit of sunshine.’ He said, ‘about sixteen to eighteen degrees.’   
‘Can you ride a horse?’ she asked and he nodded looking quizzical,  
‘I have ridden a horse but not for a while, why what did you have in mind?’ he asked,  
‘Well on a Sunday I used to go to Hyde Park and go for a ride around the park and then Clardige’s for afternoon tea.’ She said,  
‘That sounds like an amazing idea.’ He said,  
‘I will give them a ring.’ She said grabbing her phone and gave them a quick call, from the way she was talking it was obvious that the owners knew her well and before long she had booked them in for two hours at midday. She made a quick call to the hotel booking the afternoon tea for three and locked her phone,  
‘We better get a move on then.’ He said checking the time seeing her shove some of the plates in the dishwasher, ‘you know you look so at home here, it’s going to be weird when it’s just me.’ He said trying not to hurt her but seeing her face fall. ‘Oh shit I didn’t say that to upset you, more so you knew just how nice it is to see a woman bustling about my house, sharing it with someone you know…I’m not really digging myself out of that hole am I?’ he shrugged,  
‘Sometimes you are like this goofy kid and then the other half you are this bumbling old fashioned man…what am I gonna do with you?’ she smiled hugging him, ‘come on let’s get dressed and enjoy the day.’ She said pulling him towards the bathroom, ‘and this time we can share if you promise not to sneak up on me.’ She said and he grinned closing the door behind them.


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Righto everybody, this will be the end of the first part in this series of stories :D It may go on hiatus for a week or two until i finish some of my other stories but never fear it shall return, I won't leave you all hanging.

Catherine howled with laughter again wiping the tears from her eyes,  
‘Good god Ben I thought you said you had done this before.’ She said bent double over her horse’s neck weeping as she watched him try to scrabble onto a saddle for the fifth time sliding off into a heap on the floor. Even with a small mounting block he hadn’t managed to heave himself onto the immensely tall eighteen hands horse that was his for the next few hours,  
‘You are no fucking help at all.’ He huffed as a stable hand came out with a small ladder setting it up and jogging round to hold the horse still, Ben climbed the ladder with as much dignity as he had left which by this point was very little. He tried to ignore the small crowd of people from the riding school that had now gathered to try and assist him and also to feed from his embarrassing situation and he had no doubt that some version would appear on the internet before long.   
‘Give me that hand.’ Catherine said moving her mare closer and holding out her arm pulling Ben on from the other side so that he finally got his leg over, ‘well I haven’t known you to have that much trouble getting your leg over before.’ She said and he glared at her, ‘joke, I was joking.’ She said letting go and holding up her hands in defence.   
‘Let’s just get going shall we?’ he said setting his mouth in a grim determined line and taking hold of the reins.  
‘Sure you two will be ok?’ the owner asked and Catherine nodded,  
‘Oh yeah we will be fine once we get going.’ She said and tapped her horse with her heels, ‘walk on.’ She said and the horse did as instructed and Ben followed her trotting a little until he caught her up,  
‘You know you didn’t have to add fuel to the fire back there.’ He said,  
‘Look your pride is dented and your dignity in tatters I get that, oh and you are worried that it will be in the Daily Mail by tea time, but come on it was fucking hilarious and you would have pissed yourself laughing at me if it had been the other way round.’ She said getting closer to him so that she could gauge his reaction on his face,  
‘Yeah you’re right.’ He sighed, ‘I would have laughed at you, and my right elbow hurts more than my pride.’ He said showing her the graze he had sustained; she pulled their horses to a stop for a moment reaching into her bag that was still slung across her chest and handed him an antiseptic wipe which he dutifully used before she took it back stuffing it back in a small bag which she was clearly using for rubbish,   
‘Now we match.’ She said flashing him her cut on her elbow from the previous day,  
‘God what a pair.’ He said as they walked on. They rode for a fair while in silence enjoying the park coming out into leaf, the tall trees rustling slightly in the gentle cool breeze as the horses clopped on along the bridal paths that ran throughout the park. They both rounded the top corner near the lake and began the decent down the far side and Catherine looked around,   
‘You want to see what these beauties can do, let them have a bit of a run?’ she asked and Ben smiled,  
‘You see that field over there?’ she asked pointing at a fenced off area of grass with some jumps set up in it, ‘we are allowed to go into that area to give them a bit of exercise.’ She said and Ben looked at her eyebrow raised, ‘trust me. When you hit the end of the trees open him up from a trot to a canter and he will clear that fence, have you jumped before?’ she asked,  
‘Umm not really I think like a foot was my max that fence is…high…’ he said with trepidation.   
‘Ok so keep your weight low in the saddle lean a little forward and hold your core so that you raise slightly off the saddle and just let him do all the work he will naturally jump. Keep the reigns loose and don’t pull or he will freak and stop.’ She said, ‘then when you clear start to lean back to brace for the landing and keep loose take the impact and your body will fluidly move without jarring.’ She said.   
‘Right I got it.’ He said biting his lip,   
‘Remember if you don’t want to jump just keep at a trot and come round to the gate on your right.’ She said and they set off. Ben matched Catherine as they trotted along the sawdust and gravel path and he could feel his stallion begin to react as he saw the fence in front, he knew that the horse wanted to jump it and he tried to become one with the animal. He could hear the breath coming in short bursts from its mouth and nose, the hard muscle of its flanks beneath his thighs and the pull of its strong neck against the reigns, ‘now.’ Catherine hollered from beside him breaking her mare into a canter her body sleek and gelled with the bay coloured horse that was making a straight line for the fence, she kept her body low in the saddle her experienced hands barely gripping the reigns as her body did all the work and Ben mimicked her stance leaning his body forward encouraging his horse on with his heels, he let his hands fall looser as he gripped on with his thighs feeling the muscles beginning to ache a little as the horse gathered speed,  
‘Come on boy.’ He said as they got level and Catherine turned to look at him seeing the look in Ben’s eye and she said,  
‘Come on girl we aren’t gonna let those boys win are we?’ and she edged the mare to her top canter speed holding off a gallop knowing she wouldn’t clear the fence otherwise hoping that Ben’s inexperience would stop him doing the same. Her horse saw the fence and she let her do all the work going with her as she cleared the fence in a fluid movement and she whipped her head round as the stallion began the jump and Ben kept his body low sitting slightly as the horse cleared the top taking the impact reasonably well and slowing the horse to a stop a good few meters on looking around as Catherine trotted up towards him.   
‘Oh my god that was amazing! Amazing! Did you see that?!’ he said, ‘that fence must be five foot!’ he was grinning widely and his hair was sticking out from under his riding hat in every direction.  
‘Just over, so you fancy doing some more jumping?’ she said and he nodded.  
‘Yes hell yes.’ He said,  
‘Ok well we will start with a course of four three foot jumps.’ She said and she took his reigns for a moment lining him up at the start of a line of jumps, ‘now with this you need to recover in between each alright, so as you go over you need to line back up with your body and pick up speed for the next one, when you reach the end. She lent in, ‘keep your upper arms loose, shoulders down and back.’ She ran his hands down his arms positioning them, ‘look where you want to go.’ She tilted his chin so that his head was back running her hand down his back, ‘straight keep your lower back loose, keep your pelvis free and you want your bum off the saddle, pelvis skimming it.’ She said jamming her fingers under his bum wiggling them until he took some weight on his legs. ‘Excellent, now keep your thighs gently pressed in, calves against the flank and angle your heels down a little. I would say for your own stability you need to stay with your pelvis loosely on the saddle, I will lift off and ride two-point between the jumps don’t copy me.’ She said her hand finally releasing his ankle. ‘Now you are ready to go. I will show you once ok?’ and he nodded trying to remember all she said. She set off jumping the four jumps in quick succession steering round at the far end and cantering back to meet him,   
‘Right you made that look worryingly easy.’ He said,  
‘I come from a horsey county darling of course I did, come on city boy show me what you have got.’ She said and Ben took a breath lining up setting off. He managed to lean too far forward on the first knocking them both off balance and one pole came off, the second and third went well as did the fourth but he didn’t manage to stop quite so gracefully almost falling off before righting himself and returning to the start.   
‘That was really good for your first attempt.’ She said high fiving him and giving his horse a pat.

After half an hour of jumping they stopped to give the horse a rest and a drink before beginning the walk back round the far end of the park to the stables,  
‘So how come you are so good at riding?’ he asked as he sipped some water for himself.  
‘Well we have always had horses for as long as I can remember. I love them; we used to go hunting before it was banned.’ She rolled her eyes, ‘I never really got into the dressage and all that nonsense or show jumping, but I just used to jump fences and gallop through the fields when I was a kid. Got into playing polo when I was a teenager and that was about it, when I moved to London my horse was pretty old and I never got another when I moved back. My friends have horses and I go out riding with them some weekends, but I used to come down here every third week on a Sunday to go for a ride even in the rain; being here relaxes me and I love bonding with the animals.’ She said,  
‘I can’t believe I have never done this before. I didn’t even know it was here.’ He said shaking his head guiding the stallion back into the courtyard area seeing a woman come out to greet them taking the reigns and positioning a step next to him. Ben thankfully managed to dismount a little more gracefully this time as Catherine jumped off making sure she tied her horse to the bar seeing it immediately eat some hay and she slipped a piece of carrot her way handing one to Ben who barely broke it in half before a big black nose hovered up one half chomping away next to his ear.   
‘You guys want a picture?’ the woman asked and Catherine smiled,  
‘Yes please.’ And they walked round to the other side posing in their hats and tight trousers Ben’s horse chomping his carrot happily in his ear as Catherine’s mare tried to eat her hair. ‘Aww that’s a cute one, we look ridiculous.’ She said and Ben agreed stowing the camera and pulling off his hat ruffling his hair before making his way inside to get changed emerging a few minutes later,  
‘Is this gonna be ok for tea in Claridge’s?’ he asked and she looked him up and down in his blue casual trousers, t-shirt with something random emblazoned on it and a grey blazer,  
‘Of course it will be fine, come on I could murder a scone and a cucumber sandwich.’ She said slipping her hand into his as they walked in the direction of Mayfair. 

Ben and Catherine sipped their tea as demurely as they could sharing a conversation in hushed tones, they had wolfed down the cucumber sandwiches and the ham versions before moving on to the small slices of cake that came in multiple varieties and other assorted sweet treats. Catherine kept it light trying not to bring up the subject of leaving again knowing that it seemed to upset Ben, all the time they were talking she was running through their relationship so far and she was almost glad she had avoided telling him she loved him this morning. As she gazed across the table at him now she was sure that it was love, she couldn’t shake the feeling it was too fast that she should wait until she had least met his friends knew a bit more about him before she blurted it out.  
‘At least you have already met my parents.’ He said her voice coming back to her,  
‘Hmm?’ she said and he repeated the statement adding,  
‘You ok?’  
‘Miles away sorry.’ She said shaking her head and finishing her tea, ‘come on we should be off, would you mind if we pop and do some shopping on the way home?’ she asked,  
‘Sure where do you want to go?’ he asked,  
‘I need to go to Selfridges to get believe it or not some oven gloves.’ She said,  
‘Umm ok how come?’  
‘Well we deal with temperatures over two hundred degrees and the only gloves that work are by Le Creuset I was going to order them online but whilst I’m here I might as well pop in.’ she said,  
‘Yeah sure, I need to pick up some new shirts as well so why not.’ He said.

Ben watched as she scooped up the entire rail of double gloves walking to the checkout and placing down the eleven pairs of assorted colours,  
‘Holy crap woman.’ He said as she handed over the company credit card and entered the pin number,  
‘Yeah well we do go through them; I think we have set three pairs on fire in the last month alone.’ She accepted the bag, ‘so would you like your personal undresser to pick some shirts that she would like to see on your bedroom floor?’ she said seductively leaning in to kiss him softly on the lips, Ben smirked tracing his fingers over the spot that she had just kissed,  
‘Of course, do you need to pick anything up?’ he asked,  
‘Now you mention it I might need to buy some dresses, if we are going to keep going for posh dinners I am gonna need more than three dresses.’ She said,  
‘Excellent.’ He said rubbing his hands as they got in the lift to women’s wear,  
‘This will be the quickest trip I warn you I hate shopping for myself, I hate trying on clothes.’ She said and she stopped for a moment looking around the large floor, ‘ok here we go. I’m a size twelve, if you see something you think might look nice just pick it up.’ She said heading towards Coast. Ben looked around finding a royal blue jersey wrap dress with no sleeves and found the right size picking it up, he found a red strapless satin material dress and by the time he found her again she had picked five others.  
‘I umm found these?’ he said and she looked them up and down,   
‘Hate the red one, like the blue one.’ She said taking it from him and they headed to the changing rooms where he sat patiently as she put on the blue dress. The curtain slid open and she walked out and Ben looked up from his phone taking her in,   
‘Wow I love that, you know that colour definitely suits you.’ He said and she nodded quickly disappearing again, the next time she walked out she was wearing a plain black dress that was demure enough to wear anywhere and she spun revealing a low back line that exposed her shoulders, ‘I like that one isn’t it a bit…’  
‘Boring?’ she said and he nodded, ‘I need a new black dress my last one fell apart.’ She said smiling and returning to the dressing room, Ben waited patiently for her to return but when she did she deposited one dress with the attendant slotting the other two over her shoulder.  
‘Is that all I get to see?’ he asked,  
‘For now yes.’ She replied going over to pay for them, Ben snuck a look at the dresses as the woman folded them and he counted, one emerald lacy dress, one grey-brown long flowing shift looking dress, his royal blue addition, a navy long sleeved jersey dress, a blue printed dress, a black dress with a silvery patterning to the top, a plain black dress, a bright coloured printed dress and a very pale pink dress with a satin skirt and a gauzy ruched top.   
‘Uh that’s a lot of dresses.’ He said,   
‘I told you I rarely shop so I have to take advantage of the moment.’ She said distracting him as the woman read out the bill and she paid it trying not to hear the quadruple figure sum. ‘Now for the love of god spend some money so that I don’t feel so bad.’ She said gripping the bag and leading him to menswear. Ben stood still as she held up another in a long line of shirts against him,   
‘What do you think?’ he asked,  
‘Well I like all of these blue ones.’ She indicated to the three blue shirts that she had found,  
‘Ok.’ He said simply,   
‘I like this grey shirt too, and this navy one with short sleeves.’ She said and he took them in one hand,   
‘Right you look for some t-shirts and I will try these on make sure they fit.’ He said and she did as she was told finding him two plain white t-shirts and a strange t-shirt with deer on it rifling through a stack of polo shirts as he came up behind her,  
‘What about these?’ she asked holding them up,  
‘Yeah, ooh that’s a nice colour.’ He said picking up a deep indigo polo shirt, and she passed him a dark green one too.  
‘You don’t wear enough different colours. You seem to favour white, black, blue and grey.’ She said.   
‘I used to but everyone told me for dressing like I was blind.’ He said as she handed him a pair of maroony purple fitted trousers.   
‘Well that’s because you can’t just throw on any old colours together.’ She said rolling her eyes and Ben trudged off to try everything on again. The next time she found him he was rifling through the socks on sale and making a small pile. After watching him with a smile for a moment she cleared her throat and he jumped from his position kneeling on the floor slowly turning his head,  
‘Do you have a sock obsession?’ she asked and he blushed,  
‘Might do…’ he replied, ‘but they are on sale…’ he added standing up and picking up his twelve pairs of varying colours and patterns.   
‘I was thinking we better get a move on.’ She said and he checked his watch seeing it was already six. They paid for everything and made their way home chatting about anything and everything on the way. 

***

Ben watched as Catherine put the last of her things in her suitcase zipping it shut and wheeling it to the door doing one last check,  
‘I hope you don’t mind but I left some stuff here, just a clean set of underwear and a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and one dress in case of an impromptu visit.’ She said.  
‘Of course I don’t mind.’ He said standing up to kiss her. They stood for a moment just holding each other kissing slowly not wanting the contact to end,  
‘Ugh I don’t want to go…’ she said burying her face in his chest and he stroked her hair gently,  
‘I don’t want you to but we have to be practical about this. Call me when you get home ok? And then in the next couple of days we will come up with a time we can see each other next.’ He added kissing her forehead.   
‘You’re right.’ She said picking up her handbag and following him and her case downstairs and out to the car before her body refused to leave,   
‘Give a big head ruffle to Rufus for me.’ Ben said and Catherine smiled as best she could. She lent in kissing him one more time before turning and getting in the car putting on her belt and driving to the road, she gave him a quick wave before heading out back to her life for now wondering how it was ever going to last between them, only then did she feel the tears running down her face at the thought and the fear of losing him, losing the man she loved and she pulled over for fear she might crash leaning forward and letting her tears fall. Ben waved like a loon until the car was out of sight before sitting down on his doorstep finding the pack of cigarettes hidden in his porch and lit one smoking it quickly before lighting another, he hadn’t wanted one at all when she was around him but now he needed something to fill the void she had left. If he had been honest he knew it might be close to two months until he saw her again and that agonising pain ripped through him the tears beginning to spill down his face; he sat there realising he didn’t have anyone to call, no one knew about them and his parents were away, a lot of his friends had been scattered around recently most working or on holiday abroad and for the first time in a long time he felt alone. Sighing he trudged into the house and into the kitchen finding a glass and filling it with water looking around he didn’t have the energy to finish tidying up and he made his way upstairs. Kicking off his shoes he flopped onto what had now become his side of the bed and rested his head down, turning he felt another tear begin as he remembered gazing across at Catherine as she slept less than twelve hours before and he squeezed his eyes shut trying to imprint the memory, leaning forward he pressed his nose to the pillow inhaling the scent of her perfume his tears falling harder as his mind realised that this woman, who was nothing but herself with him, the woman he loved was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with and in that given moment was seeming a very unlikely situation.


	23. Chapter 23

For all those who are subscribed to this story thread - part two is upon us :D - http://archiveofourown.org/works/921586


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